Metro Schools back open as maintenance issues linger from cold - WMC Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee

Most school districts in Middle Tennessee have reopened after the deep freeze earlier this week. But not all of them had warm classrooms ready for their students.

The decision to go back to school was not popular with every parent in Metro Nashville Public Schools.

And the district even acknowledged in its decision to reopen schools that the situation may not be ideal in every classroom, encouraging students to wear an extra layer of clothing Thursday just in case.

"For the younger kids, it's just ridiculous. It's not healthy," said parent Glenda Chopp.

Maintenance workers continued to fix scores of problems brought on by this week's cold snap

"We were down to 43 heat calls today. That's down from a couple hundred two days ago. We're still working about a dozen plumbing problems, but those are all in progress and getting under control," said MNPS spokesman Joe Bass.

Chopp's children attend three different schools in Antioch. Her youngest goes to Mount View Elementary, where she said the school told her heating problems had classes doubling up.

"What is the point in going to school if they're going to be crammed into a classroom with two classes of kids. They're not learning anything. They're not doing any schoolwork," Chopp said. "Honestly, I feel bad for the teachers."

Chopp's eldest student attends Antioch High School, and a set of text messages from her daughter spelled out the perceived problems.

"I asked, 'Does your school have heat?' And she said, 'I think, maybe, but it's really cold,'" Chopp said.

The district still urges parents to be patient as crews get everything in peak working order.

It's easier said than done for this Metro parent.

"There's no sense to being there. Take some days off spring break. Take some days off the end of the school year. But let the kids stay warm," Chopp said.

For a bit of historical perspective, the district confirmed it had to do more repairs due to this cold snap than it did following the historic flood in May 2010.

All but one of the district's 153 schools was open Thursday. Whites Creek High School had a major heating problem and then a water problem.

The district said students at Whites Creek High School will return to school Friday, Jan. 10, on a regular schedule.

Also in Davidson County, Boys Preparatory Nashville closed at 9 a.m. Thursday and students were sent home because of a broken water pipe.

School officials say the broken water pipe has since been repaired and students will return to school on Friday.

Lakeview Elementary School in Humphreys County will be closed on Friday because of a water pipe issue.

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