Building 21 parents plead for remote learning following asbestos issue
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Frustrations continue to grow over the handling of an asbestos issue at a Philadelphia high school.
Students from Building 21 High School were moved about six miles from their school in West Oak Lane to Strawberry Mansion High School on Ridge Avenue.
"We're not building new schools, so we have to retrofit the schools that we do have to prevent this from happening again," Sharron Gaymon, a Building 21 parent, said.
Parents with Building 21 students are calling on the school district to offer remote learning following the decision to move hundreds of kids to a different high school.
"Why can't they do virtual? The answer was 'We have exhausted our amount of virtual days this year as per the Department of Education," Sheba Grant, a parent of Building 21, said.
The district on Monday says out of the 366 Building 21 students, less than 40 showed up for in-person classes.
One hundred twenty-six accessed coursework online, which is not considered remote learning.
"You have to go to the State Department of Education to get approval to continue virtual instruction, and that's what's happening right now," Monique Braxton, of the School District of Philadelphia, said.
Last week, the School District of Philadelphia found asbestos inside of Building 21's auditorium and stairwells.
On Monday, students were expected to show up to Strawberry Mansion High School for classes, except most parents refused because of safety and transportation concerns.
"I hate to say it, I would risk him having to go to summer school to complete his senior year," Sharron Gaymon, a Building 21 parent, said.
The district says they've arranged for transportation for Tuesday but have no plan figured out for the rest of the week.
SEPTA buses will be picking up students from Building 21 at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday and students will then be dropped back off around 3 p.m.
