Houston schools hit with bitter cold as HISD students return to classrooms without heat.
Students at Hamilton Middle School in Houston reported feeling their way through the day, literally. Ariatnne Castillo described being on her second floor auditorium with temperatures so low she couldn't feel her feet. Her mom Leslie Cueves had a close call, too - she was lucky enough to be able to pick up her daughter from school and get home to warmth.
The problem isn't new for Hamilton, according to Cueves' experience. Two of her children have previously attended the school where maintenance issues with the heating system have been well-documented. The Houston Independent School District has long noted that its heating systems are outdated, but voters rejected a $4.4 billion bond package in 2024 meant to address these problems.
Despite the lack of heat at Hamilton Middle School, one parent expressed confidence in the district's communication and ability to keep students safe. "The school always communicates on all platforms," Erika Guzman said. "In this day and age, 100% of parents have social media, so we get a play-by-play of everything happening."
Hamilton was not the only school struggling with heat issues. Staff at Welch and Paul Revere Middle Schools reported early pick-ups due to cold temperatures at their schools, which were as low as 47 degrees on Tuesday morning.
ABC13 reached out to the district for more information about how many campuses are affected but did not receive a response. A statement from the district mentioned that parents were notified and students were made safe and comfortable while maintenance crews worked on resolving any issues.
For now, Houston school students will have to endure the cold, at least until the heat comes back online.
Students at Hamilton Middle School in Houston reported feeling their way through the day, literally. Ariatnne Castillo described being on her second floor auditorium with temperatures so low she couldn't feel her feet. Her mom Leslie Cueves had a close call, too - she was lucky enough to be able to pick up her daughter from school and get home to warmth.
The problem isn't new for Hamilton, according to Cueves' experience. Two of her children have previously attended the school where maintenance issues with the heating system have been well-documented. The Houston Independent School District has long noted that its heating systems are outdated, but voters rejected a $4.4 billion bond package in 2024 meant to address these problems.
Despite the lack of heat at Hamilton Middle School, one parent expressed confidence in the district's communication and ability to keep students safe. "The school always communicates on all platforms," Erika Guzman said. "In this day and age, 100% of parents have social media, so we get a play-by-play of everything happening."
Hamilton was not the only school struggling with heat issues. Staff at Welch and Paul Revere Middle Schools reported early pick-ups due to cold temperatures at their schools, which were as low as 47 degrees on Tuesday morning.
ABC13 reached out to the district for more information about how many campuses are affected but did not receive a response. A statement from the district mentioned that parents were notified and students were made safe and comfortable while maintenance crews worked on resolving any issues.
For now, Houston school students will have to endure the cold, at least until the heat comes back online.
this is just insane! I mean, I get it, old heating systems are a problem, but come on, 47 degrees?! It's like they forgot that kids (and parents) aren't made of ice 
. And yeah, the school's communication game is strong, I'll give them that... but this isn't exactly reassuring when you're shivering in your car waiting for your kid to come out 
. And what's with the no answer from the district? That just makes it worse 
. I hope they get their act together and fix those heaters ASAP, my little ones can't be stuck in a cold classroom all day 
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. And can we talk about how old is that $4.4 billion bond package? Like, shouldn't they've fixed it by now? It's just so frustrating when you think a school should be a safe place for learning...
. i mean, 47 degrees? that's literally freezing! and what really gets me is the district is still bragging about their communication skills 
. yeah, great job keeping parents informed, but what about actually fixing the problems? 
schools should be a warm and safe space for kids to learn, not a cold and uncomfortable one 
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. The district is being proactive in communicating with parents and keeping them informed, which shows a level of transparency that's hard to find in many other areas of life. But at what cost? Are we just accepting subpar conditions because we've lost faith in the system?
! It's like they say, "you can't fix what you don't measure"... 75% of school districts have outdated heating systems, that's a whole lotta kids freezing their butts off 
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The Houston ISD isn't the only one struggling with heat issues... did you know that NYC's schools are losing heat too? It's like a national crisis 
I mean, who wants to send their kids to school without heat in the middle of winter? It's like, come on HISD! You've got people with frozen feet and toes... it's not even safe. And what really gets me is that you guys knew this was a problem for years and you didn't do anything about it. Like, where did all that $4.4 billion go? 
That's not just chilly, it's freakin' freezing! And no heat in Hamilton Middle School? I mean, I get that the district said parents were notified and students are safe, but what about all those poor kids who can't feel their feet?! 
And those maintenance issues have been a thing for years? When are we gonna see some actual change around here?! 
The harsh reality of many Houston schools facing heat-related struggles is quite a story. Outdated heating systems, lack of funds for repairs... it's hard to imagine how these kids are coping with temperatures that feel like they're walking through an icebox!
Can't they just do a little extra maintenance to make sure everything runs smoothly? It's not like it's breaking the bank. The parents are right, though - communication is key. As long as we know what's going on and that the kids are safe, I guess it's manageable 
. But still, poor Ariatnne... walking around in her socks at school 
hisd has been warned about outdated heating systems for years and they still didnt get the funds needed to fix it. now kids are literally freezing their bums off at school 
100% agree with erika guzman though, comms from the district need to be super transparent and keep parents in the loop. 47 degrees is COLD! 
when will they fix this?!
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. It's also kinda wild that maintenance issues are still being ignored 
? You'd think that would be a big enough deal to get some action taken 
. But come on, can't we just have some working heat and hot chocolate for our kids?! 
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. My grandma used to say that when you can't control your circumstances, you have to learn to navigate with what you've got 
. That's exactly what these kids are doing right now – they're being resilient and resourceful in the face of adversity. We should be proud of them! 
. I feel so bad for the parents who have to worry about their kids' well-being every day... it's just not right 
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I don't get why the district didn't invest in new heating systems like all those years ago... was it really that expensive? $4.4 billion is a lot of money 
. And I guess it's good that the district tried to communicate with parents through social media, even if it wasn't enough