BY EMILY MIBACH
Daily Post Staff Writer
Ravenswood School District touted the installation of washers and dryers for homeless students at four schools but a maintenance worker for the district says only one is operable.
Uriel Pulido says to his knowledge, only the washer and dryer at McNair Academy has been fully installed. B
But district spokesman Rolando Bonilla says the washers and dryers at Willow Oaks, Belle Haven, McNair and Chavez have all been installed and are operable.
The only location where the washer and dryer is not hooked up is at Costano Elementary School, but the work should be completed in the next month.
The district bought the washers and dryers as a way to help homeless and needy families.
The district says 44% of its 2,682 students are homeless or are in situations where many families live in the same house.
“We want to make life as easy as possible for these families,” Bonilla said. “To give these families the ability to have the dignity of clean clothes is one way to help prep children for a better future.”
While Pulido agrees that having clean clothes for students is needed, he expressed concern over the access to the laundry machines, saying the district should not let “just anyone” come and use the facilities.
Bonilla said parents would have to check in with the school’s front offices to be allowed access to the machines. But he did not know the days and times when the washing machines could be accessed.
