NEW ORLEANS -- Students at McDonogh 35 High School refused to go to class early Friday morning, saying they are fed up with problems at the school, specifically bats in the building.
Students and parents say there have been bats inside the school for months and they've begged the principal to do something about it with no results, so Friday students stood outside the building demanding action.
Outstide the school students chanted, “No more bats, no more bats.”
Organized and determined, these high school students said enough's enough. They were teaching the first lesson Friday morning, and it was the right to protest. They say the school building is old and falling apart, and they've been living with that but say now its infested with bats and they can't learn.
“When I walked out the class and turned the corner,” said student Tatiyana Nodoselski, “I saw a white bat and it was coming toward me. It was in my face and I forgot the wall was behind me, and I ran, and it forced me into the wall. I just panicked.”
Parents share the frustration and stood alongside their kids demanding something be done immediately.
"The only thing we want to do is protect our children, this right here is our future and if they dont' care about it, we care about it," said Gail Greathouse, a parent.
Orleans Parish School Superintendent Darryl Kilbert said bats are common problem in older buildings in blighted neighborhoods. He said they will close the third floor of building, at least through Mardi Gras, to let pest remediation continue.
Pest remediation already led to 97 percent of bats removed from McDonogh, but a few remain.
Principal Delores Winfield tried to calm the crowds -- many were frustrated with her saying she insisted most of the bats were gone with students say they were seeing more.
Friday, Winfield agreed to meet with parents and help them talk to school administrators to try to fix the problem.
“You need to get into school, into class and let me get to work with these parents to get done what we need to do, ok?” Winfield told the students.
She assured the students they wouldn't face disciplinary action for the demonstration -- and all would be forgotten if they just went back to class and allowed parents to fight the battle, and that appeared to work.
The students saying all they want is a new school building -- one that's safe -- and gives them a chance to learn.
