Leaks in the senior alcove, more falling ceiling tiles, and the emergence of questionable water stains in various classrooms seem almost ordinary. This has become a general topic of conversation among Mason students and most students are more than willing to share their dissatisfaction with the declining quality of the school building.

“I am getting sick from mold [in the school] and I’ll sue the school if I die,” said senior Hana Mengesha.

Although Mengesha was only joking, whether she is getting sick from mold or something else, we don’t know. But the conditions of the school are a serious matter. The building was built in 1952, and although parts of the building have been updated since then, the original foundation has been around for over 60 years. In the modern, fast-growing DC area, it seems as if the building has been around for a lifetime, especially since this is Falls Church City’s only high school.

The Falls Church School Board’s plans to build a new school in the near future have been pushed back further due to disagreements on certain aspects of the project.  Had it progressed, this plan would not even have been enacted until after the current Mason students have already graduated.  

Improving the school for its current students seems like it should be a priority for the school, but despite many issues with the building, there appears to be little progress made. A portion of the the school’s $236,900 budget allocated toward capital items and materials should go towards repairs that would better the health and safety of both students and faculty. The building desperately needs a deep clean and the ongoing issues with the infrastructure must be addressed and fixed.

The school has already taken the initiative by moving students out of the deteriorating trailers and into the school.  However, the decision to convert the TLC and other areas across the school into classrooms, has caused noticeable overcrowding.  This is yet another issue with the building that presses the need for an immediate change.

Although the plan to build a new school is in the works, this does not mean that the current state of Mason should be ignored.  When the well-being of the Mason community is being jeopardized, the situation cannot simply be pushed onto the back burner.