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NEISD officials disputing staff member’s claim that district has a rat problem

"It's gotten to the point where students are coming into contact with it, touching the poop. A student picked up the poop and put it in another student's desk."

A staff member with Northern Hills Elementary School, which is part of NEISD, says their school has a problem with rodents that only continues to worsen.

Some working at the school fear for the health and safety of everyone, including students who have been found playing with droppings.

NEISD officials are disputing those claims.

"We don't know per se whether they're rats, whether they're mice, other rodents. We haven't actually seen any of them.  We just see evidence that they're there," said Aubrey Chancellor, Executive Director of Communications, NEISD.

On Wednesday, a staff member at the school reached out to KENS 5 for help. In an e-mail sent to KENS 5 from Chancellor stated:

"Northern Hills Elementary is experiencing some issues. A few classrooms and the library. Maintenance and custodial staff have been working to resolve the issue."

The staff member who wanted to hide her identity for fear of backlash, said the problem began in August, and is getting worse.

"Now we have rat droppings in the classrooms, and multiple classrooms are having to have traps laid in the classrooms, and they are there during the school hours," she said.

The staff member sent us recent photos, which show droppings and urine on the classroom floor.

"It's gotten to the point where students are coming into contact with it, touching the poop. A student picked up the poop, and put it in another student's desk, another students toy got stuck in the trap." 

On Thursday, the district disputed those claims.

"At our last inspection, which was actually yesterday, pest control and maintenance reported that there was no evidence of any situations or problems in any classroom. The only area of concern that they're still addressing is one particular room, that's not an instructional room, it's more of a storage area," said Chancellor.

Chancellor said they have not received reports supporting students have come into contact with the poop, and the glue traps are not out during the day, however the staff member says she is disappointed and frustrated with the district's response.

"The safety of our kids and the staff should be at least the number one concern and priority, and I'm shocked it hasn't been viewed that way," said Chancellor.

The district said they have put in seven work orders, pest control and maintenance has come out to the school each time. 

Chancellor said custodians work around the clock making sure classrooms are clean.  

"The principal continues to ask staff members to make sure they're not leaving their food out, because that's obviously contributing to the problem as well," said Chancellor.

The district said they are taking this problem seriously, it's improving and will work until it's eradicated.  

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