Harrison-Morton staff say building issues began earlier than Allentown School District made public

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — After a burst pipe at Harrison-Morton Middle Schoolmoved 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, as well as William Penn Alternative School, Dieruff High School, Lehigh Carbon Community College's Donley Center and St. Francis School.

A Harrison-Morton staff member told LehighValleyNews.com that it was actually two burst pipes that caused Harrison-Morton's closure last week, including one on Tuesday, Feb. 18. – a day before the district acknowledged an issue.

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 the following morning 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.

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 falls within 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," 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.

At this point, ASD hasn't asked for any state-related assistance to address the building damage, he said.

The best thing the state can do to support Allentown and other districts with similar building issues, Siegel added, is to put money toward school facilities and construction.

'Chaotic' virtual learning

Throughout the rest of this week, teachers will continue leading class virtually via their laptops from other ASD schools, including Dieruff, South Mountain and Trexler.

The district declined to comment on why teachers have not been able to teach virtually from their homes.

The Harrison-Morton staff member told LehighValleyNews.com that it has been difficult to teach on Zoom in a room full of other teachers doing the same.

“It’s chaotic,” the staff member said.

The staff member also said the online set up has presented equity issues because some students' laptops have been broken or stolen. Some families don’t have internet access.

In a Wednesday evening email, the district told Harrison-Morton families to contact their child’s teacher if they need help accessing a device or hotspot.

The same email advised families of three information sessions today and Friday in which the district will answer questions from parents about its plans to return to in-person learning at the temporary sites throughout Allentown.

The virtual information sessions, scheduled for 5 p.m. today and 1 p.m. Friday will be livestreamed via the district's YouTube page. Parents have been emailed access to Zoom links. Another Friday in-person session will be available for parents 5 p.m. at Dieruff.

The temporary school site locations for next week are as follows:

• Grade 6 - St. Francis School, 1033 Washington St, Allentown, PA 18102, 484-357-8326
• Grade 7 - Lehigh Carbon Community College - Donley Center, 718 Hamilton St, Allentown, PA 18101, 484-408-1812
• Grade 8 - Gold Team: Dieruff High School, 815 N Irving St, Allentown, PA 18109, 484-765-5501
• Grade 8 -  Purple Team: William Penn Alternative School, 401 W Allen St, Allentown, PA 18102, 484-765-4531
• Autistic Support Classes: Trexler Middle School, 851 N 15th St, Allentown, PA 18102, 484-765-4601
• Life Skills Class: South Mountain Middle School, 709 W Emaus Ave, Allentown, PA 18103, 484-765-4301
• Emotional Support Classes: Raub Middle School, 102 S St Cloud St, Allentown, PA 18104, 484-765-5301