LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Las Vegas teacher is upset with administrators, accusing them of not properly addressing a sewage leak in a classroom used by a hundred students.
Christian Prada documented the spillage that happened at Kenny Guinn Middle School in several videos he shared with 8 News Now.
“It’s like, why do I live in a world where it’s okay to make children have to learn in an environment that is a biohazard?” Prada said.
Prada said he first noticed the leak on Tuesday, Oct. 29, and began recording the mess on Oct. 31.
“So, this is the room. This is the classroom where sewage leaked through the wall,” Prada said.
The leak reportedly occurred on the other side of the wall of Prada’s classroom where there was a restroom. Prada said it took two days before administrators presented him with a possible solution to deal with the urine smell: industrial fans to dry the rug.
“I open the door. The door had been closed. The whole hallway, everyone, was like ‘what’s going on?’ It smelled like there was urine all over the entire school,” Prada said.
He reached out to 8 News Now after not getting anywhere with administrators at Guinn Middle School.
“I feel like, I’m in the upside down [world] because it’s one of those things that, we’re asking children not to have to learn in urine. Why is that such a big ask?” Prada said.
Prada teaches about 100 children who are English Language Learners at Guinn MS. He exhausted every avenue in getting the issue properly resolved, including reaching out to the Clark County Education Association.
“I’m second language. My mother is from Spain, my father is from Colombia. I always tell my kids, ‘I am one of you. I learned English at CCSD.’ And I just don’t know why as a whole they feel we deserve the worst,” he said.
Prada provided 8 News Now with an email exchange between him and Guinn MS Principal Erin Rolfe dated Nov. 21. She wanted him in the classroom by Nov. 25. The school temporarily moved him and his student to a small theater while the urine dried.
Prada responded that same day writing, “My concerns were not addressed as you refused to explain to me how the biohazard was properly cleaned.”
In a cell phone video dated Nov. 18, Prada recorded an update of his classroom.
“The carpet has not been removed. The wall was not removed. Nothing was replaced. All they did was put some fans on it and let it dry for weeks,” Prada said.
He called out sick on Nov. 25.
“Is this how admin would treat their own offices? Would they simply let the urine dry? Or would the very next day we see that wall being removed and we would see that carpet being changed?” Prada said.
Prada said the sewage spill has led to health troubles, causing him to go on medical leave from the Clark County School District until next year.
8 News Now reached out to the Clark County School District for comment. Their offices were closed for the Thanksgiving Day holiday.