A Bristol Township School Board member checked into conditions at Harry S. Truman High School and was shocked with what he found.
School board member Jim Baker was informed of photos circulating on Facebook earlier this week that showed plaster ceilings falling apart in the girls bathroom of the high school in Levittown.
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Baker went to inspect the damage on Wednesday and found similar problems in the other parts of the building, including the teachers breakroom and locker room.
“We did know there was an issue. Until I saw the photo, I honestly didn’t know it was that bad,” he said.
Crews were called to the school to inspect crumbling plaster and block off the bathroom. Baker said the damage was caused when water backed up on the roof and leaked into the structure.
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Most of the roof, which is in about 30 different sections, is covered under a prorated warranty and most recently had repair work done last year, Baker said.
A contractor will come to the school Friday and do a full inspection.
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“What we’re going to do it map out those portions of the roof that are in the most need,” he said.
Baker said the school board will likely talk at their public meeting on Monday night about fixing portions of the roof that are having problems. He added that the project would likely be costly.
“As you know, we’re really strapped for cash. We were holding off on replacing the roof,” Baker said. He added that he believes the district needs to work to fix the roof right away.
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Roof problems have previously been blamed for drips coming down in classrooms. In the past, students have claimed to have seen mold in the building. Superintendent Dr. Sam Lee said last year that air tests in the building came back to show the building has a safe air quality. Baker said the contractor will check to see if the leaks have lead to any recent mold issues.
Truman has about 1,300 students inside the Green Lane school.
