ALLENTOWN, Pa. — After a burst pipe at Harrison-Morton Middle School moved learning online last week, staff members say building challenges began a day earlier than Allentown School District made public.
The district confirmed this week that a pipe burst Wednesday, Feb. 19, causing flooding in the 151-year-old building.
At the time, parents were notified of the issue and students were dismissed early to learn online from home.
They've continued to attend school virtually ever since, with plans to return to in-person learning at temporary sites throughout Allentown on Monday.
Those sites include Raub, South Mountain and Trexler middle schools; William Penn Alternative School; Dieruff High School; Lehigh Carbon Community College's Donley Center; and the former St. Francis School.
Building issues began Feb. 18, staff says
A Harrison-Morton staff member told LehighValleyNews.com that it was actually two burst pipes that caused the school's closure last week, not just the one acknowledged by the district.
The first pipe burst on Tuesday, Feb. 18 — a day before the second instance, the staff member said.
“What concerned me was why was it not unsafe on the 18th? And why aren’t they saying that it started on the 18th?”
Allentown School District staff member
Students and teachers remained in the building Feb. 18, according to the staff member, who was granted anonymity because they’re not authorized by ASD to speak with reporters.
The district’s correspondence with families only notes the Feb. 19 incident.
“What concerned me was, why was it not unsafe on the 18th?" the staff member said. "And why aren’t they saying that it started on the 18th?”
The same staff member said an unpleasant odor filled the school on Feb. 18 and made some teachers feel lightheaded.
The smell remained in the school when students and staff reported to the building the morning of Feb. 19 when the second pipe burst, the staff member said.
Unneeded secrecy?
Bob Smith, a former longtime Allentown School Board member, said he spoke with Harrison-Morton staff members who also told him the building issues began on Feb. 18 accompanied by an odor that left some teachers feeling dizzy.
Smith said staff also told him two radiators in the building were broken.
“I don't understand the secrecy."
Bob Smith, a former longtime Allentown School Board member
LehighValleyNews.com reached out to the district about the timeline discrepancy and building safety concerns, among other inquiries. A spokesperson declined to comment.
“I don't understand the secrecy,” said Smith, who’s running to rejoin the Allentown School Board this election cycle.
Smith said staff members told him a union representative warned teachers their jobs would be in jeopardy if they spoke to reporters about the building issues.
Leslie Franklin, president of the Allentown Education Association, declined to comment for this article.
Age of the building
State Rep. Josh Siegel, D-22nd District, said his office has been in communication with ASD about the situation at Harrison-Morton, which is in Siegel's legislative district.
Siegel said he was aware of two pipes bursting, but does not know the timeline for when the issues occurred.
"It just shows the age of the building. As the building gets older these are the issues that start to materialize."
State Rep. Josh Siegel
"It just shows the age of the building," Siegel said. "As the building gets older, these are the issues that start to materialize."
Harrison-Morton was built in 1874, when President Ulysses S. Grant was in office.
Siegel and other elected officials often use the building as a rallying cry for more public education funding, especially in poor, urban districts such as Allentown.
"Harrison-Morton quintessentially is an example of where the building itself has outlived its life span," Siegel said.
ASD hasn't asked for any state-related assistance to address the building damage, he added.
The best thing the state can do to support Allentown and other districts with similar building issues, Siegel said, is to put money toward school facilities and construction.
'Chaotic' virtual learning
To round out this week, Harrison-Morton students will continue learning virtually. They will complete online work Friday while teachers prepare for in-person learning to begin Monday.
Over the last seven school days, teachers held classes virtually via their laptops from other ASD schools, including Dieruff, South Mountain and Trexler.
The district declined to comment on why teachers weren't able to teach virtually from their homes.
The Harrison-Morton staff member told LehighValleyNews.com that it was difficult to teach on Zoom in a room full of other teachers doing the same.
“It’s chaotic."
Allentown School District staff member
“It’s chaotic,” the staff member said.
The staff member also said the temporary online set up has presented equity issues because some students' laptops have been broken or stolen. Some families don’t have internet access.
The district told Harrison-Morton families to contact their child’s teacher if they need help accessing a device or hotspot, according to a Wednesday email.
The same email advised families of information sessions to learn more about the return to in-person learning at the temporary sites throughout Allentown.
Return to in-person
At the first information session Thursday evening, Harrison-Morton Principal Carolyn Hamilton told parents the district anticipates being at the temporary locations for about three weeks.
Students will be transported to their locations via shuttle bus from outside Harrison-Morton. The bus schedule will be shared Friday.
The school day will start at 8 a.m. and end at 2:35 p.m.
Breakfast and lunch will be available at all sites. After-school activities will continue based on available space. Counselors will also be at all sites.
At the high school locations, middle school students will be kept away from older students.
Hamilton said there is no option for parents to send their child to a different site than the one assigned. Parents cannot opt for their child to continue virtual learning, either.
"We’re trying to get our students back in person because that’s the best learning environment for them," Hamilton said.
For students assigned to a high school location or school site outside ASD, there will be an open house Saturday for parents to see the site. Information will be sent out to parents about this opportunity on Friday.
There will also be two more information sessions Friday.
Parents can join a virtual information session at 1 p.m. via Zoom link or attend a 5 p.m. in-person session at Dieruff. The in-person session will also be livestreamed on the district's YouTube page.
The temporary school site locations for next week are as follows: