East Bay

Broken PA System at Tennyson High School in Hayward Raises Concern

Parents at an East Bay high school are concerned their children are at risk due to a broken PA system on campus.

Hayward Unified School District officials said they have been trying to repair the aging PA system at Tennyson High School for the past year until it finally gave out. 

On Wednesday night, the school board voted to approve $1.7 million contract to replace Tennyson's PA system. But there are four other schools in the district with broken PA systems.

Parents tell NBC Bay Area the issue at Tennyson was a major concern after someone scribbled a violent threat on a bathroom wall last week. The incident last Friday prompted a shelter-in-place at the school.

Parents said without a working PA system, there is no good way to warn students of an emergency.

HUSD officials said there is a plan to put in a new PA system, which will cost millions and require extensive wiring. Here's the proposed timeline:

  • Bids were submitted on March 13
  • Contract to be approved Wednesday, March 28
  • Exterior work begins on April 4
  • Interior work begins June 15
  • Complete construction on Aug. 10

Meanwhile, campus administrators are relying on walkie talkies, phones in classrooms and teacher cell phone alerts. The campus also is practicing emergency protocols and drills.

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