Elementary school cancels classes for construction with no warning

(10/3/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- Parents were forced to pick up their children from school at Tidwell Elementary when classes were canceled with no notice. School leaders say it's because of construction. But some people claim the sudden closure is because of a bigger problem.

A couple of hours after children arrived for class on Wednesday they were sent home again. The North Forest school district blamed the dismissal on building construction. But a political candidate for the school board called media outlets, claiming environmental concerns about the building itself.

"That is a problem. There is an environmental issue here," claimed school board candidate Willy Hunter. "We're not piggy-backing off of anybody. Our children are first, and I have a concern for them."

Parents were called to collect their children, bewildered at the lack of explanation.

"We don't know anything," said parent J. Tyrone Cormier. "We'd like to know something. But just don't call parents. It seems like every parent has come to pick up their children."

Teachers were sent home early. One parent was mad -- not at the school district, but at a school board candidate.

"The district has got enough problems without people like you," parent Dwight Randall told Hunter. "You're running for school board, Mr. Hunter."

Teachers are hoping to meet with school district officials to find more answers. No one from the North Forest school district would talk publicly about the sudden closure.

Classes are closed to students on Thursday and Friday. Monday is a scheduled in-service day. Tuesday is the earliest students will return to the classroom.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

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