The future of Whitehaven High School's STEM facility is uncertain following funding issues, prompting concern among Shelby County leaders and the local community. Despite groundbreaking in April, the $9.5 million project has come to a halt. According to Action News 5, Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) has not yet contributed the $2.3 million it pledged, leading to the impasse.
With the district's policy requiring full funding before proceeding, the situation has garnered attention from community members and officials. Daryl Lewis from the Whitehaven Alumni Association expressed the shared sentiment, "It would be a travesty to stop now, we have to find a way to bridge this gap," as stated by Action News 5.
Meanwhile, Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. is pushing for a resolution, "We’re ready to construct, Mr. Chair. We’ve done our part as a community. We just need to make sure Memphis Shelby County Schools does their part." Joseph Kyles of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition questioned MSCS' priorities during a plea to commissioners, saying "We were informed last week that the money has been folded into deferred maintenance, which is almost a billion-dollar budget. Why would you need 2.3 million dollars?" according to WREG.
Amid the funding controversy, residents like Jason Sharif remain optimistic. "I attended the groundbreaking and the excitement was in the air. To have this snag is really concerning, but I'm hoping that it's just delayed and not denied," Sharif told Local Memphis. The impending decision from MSCS, expected to be "resolved very soon," hangs in the balance as the Shelby County Commission prepares to discuss funding once more on Monday.
In a statement obtained by Action News 5, MSCS remains positive, "We anticipate this matter being resolved very soon and look forward to the construction of a new STEM building that is up to code and ready to service the Whitehaven Community." This assurance will translate into the necessary funding materializing remains a critical question for the Whitehaven High School and the broader community.
