ATLANTA — Students at Carver High School have posted a series of TikToks and social media posts outlining what they say are unacceptable and hazardous conditions.
The videos appear to show mold, crumbling ceilings, and floors caving in:
Some students went before the Atlanta Schools Board of Education Monday night to demand help.
The board is in the beginning stages of deciding where to invest $650.8 million intended for improvements at various schools. But Carver – one of the oldest schools in Atlanta - didn’t make the initial first draft list of intended recipients.
“The carpeting needs to be cleaned, the mold is a problem," said Maliyah White, a senior at Carver High School. "Things like this can cause health issues. We've needed these resources for a long time for it to get to this extent, and we need it now."
While Carver High School wasn’t on the list of schools the board initially outlined as priorities for improvements, millions of dollars were earmarked for renovations and expansions in neighborhoods like Fourth Ward, Kirkwood, and Midtown.
“If you look at our neighborhoods around Carver, we're predominately Black and it just feels like we're just forgotten," said Doreen Harerimana, a senior and SGA President at Carver STEAM.
The $650.8 million would come from the one-cent SPLOST fund, the extension of which will be on November's ballot.
After hearing the students' concerns Monday, board members said there’s still plenty of time to finalize where those funds will go.
"Adjustments can be made, things can be reprioritized, and not only that but it appears to me there are more immediate things that need to happen to that building," said board chair Jason Esteves.
The students said they hope the board will push through renovations sooner rather than later, using the hashtag “Carver can’t wait" on social media.
“I encourage our board to lean into this moment with equitable eyes and don't just do what's easy, we have to do what's right," said Monique Nunnally, a former Carver High School teacher. "We can't wait another five years, 10 years, 20 years. We are on life support. We need this board to do the right thing.”
An assessment done in 2020 determined Carver High School to be in overall "good" condition. An APS spokesperson said in 2005, the district invested $43 Million into a comprehensive and renovation of the entire Carver High School campus.
"We will continue to monitor conditions and response to maintenance and repair needs at Carver HS on a timely basis," APS said in a statement.