OCEANSIDE, Calif. (KGTV) — Pablo Tac School of the Arts has been in the process of modernization since December 2022. However, parents say the campus is more like a construction site.
Students and parents were greeted with orange cones and fenced-off areas on the first day of school.
“It was very emotional and not for the reasons you'd suspect,” said Kalli.
Heavy machinery interrupted the Pledge of Allegiance, and doors to areas being worked on were left open.
“I could just walk in. If I wanted to, I could just walk in this area that's on my child's campus,” said Kalli while videoing one of the rooms on campus.
Parents told ABC 10News that their kids came home from school that day with lots to share.
“...Reports of no AC in the rooms, specifically the kindergarten rooms. No access to water- bottle, refill, or cold drinking water. My kid's room is running off of the generator. There's no shade on the blacktop; there's leaking restrooms,” said Kalli.
We reached out to Pablo Tac with these concerns, and they responded with this statement:
“OUSD has been able to transform and modernize our campuses over the years, thanks to the community's generous support through the passage of several bonds.
Pablo Tac School of the Arts has been undergoing a scheduled full campus modernization since December of 2022. This week, crews have been installing new drinking fountains. During this time bottled water is being provided to students. At no time have students been without water to drink.
Our students do not use porta-potties. We are providing a total of 30 temporary toilets that have lighting, plumbing and air conditioning. One unit had a temporary tank over flow of fresh water before its use. This was quickly addressed and there were plenty of other toilets for students to use.
Our kindergarten students are assigned to use the restrooms in the newly renovated kindergarten classrooms or the health office. They do not use the temporary toilets.
At no time has the district asked parents who have children with special needs to attend a different school because of themodernization.
We have been in regular communication with parents and staff during the stages of this project.”
One parent created theInstagram @dearosideusd to document the issues and hold the school accountable.
It was a school that parents trusted for a long time.
“We love Pablo Tac! We are such a great school. We have such a great community, and it's so unfortunate because we feel like we're just being neglected by the district,” said Kalli.
Pablo Tac sent an additional statement to families, saying that after receiving an overload of messages from parents, they are making efforts to address these concerns immediately.
