Raccoons Terrorize High School in Texas [Video]

In a Nutshell:

• McCallum High School in Austin, Texas, is dealing with a persistent raccoon infestation, highlighted in a video shared by a parent showing an attempt to remove a raccoon from a classroom. The problem has been recurring for generations and has led to the creation of an Instagram account, MacRacoonUpdates, documenting the sightings.
• The Austin Independent School District (AISD) has engaged professional wildlife removal specialists to humanely address the issue. They will use exclusion techniques to prevent raccoons from entering the building and set humane traps to capture and remove any raccoons inside the school, promising to monitor the situation until it is fully resolved.
• Besides the raccoon issue, the aging infrastructure of McCallum High School, the second oldest in AISD, is also a cause for concern among parents. In response, the district plans to commence a $66 million phased modernization project this spring, including improvements to the HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems, roofing repairs, and athletic field upgrades, with completion expected in 2027.

McCallum High School in Austin, Texas, is grappling with a persistent raccoon infestation.

The issue came to light following an 11-second video circulated by a parent showing two individuals attempting to remove a large raccoon from a classroom.

Over the past few months, numerous incidents involving raccoons have been reported at the school, including the discovery of a dead raccoon within a wall, a raccoon being caught in a science classroom, and sightings of raccoons running through the hallways.

Austin ISD Trustee Kathryn Whitley Chu acknowledged the problem as a longstanding one, revealing that the school has had issues with raccoons for generations.

“This is a multigenerational problem, the raccoons,” Chu said.

“When I talk to the people who graduated from McCallum, they’re like, ‘Yes, we had names for them.’ But parents are pretty fed up with it. And our teachers are taking on so much right now – they don’t need to be animal control officers too.”

The problem has become so prevalent that the raccoons have their own Instagram account, MacRacoonUpdates.

To address the situation, the Austin Independent School District (AISD) has employed professional wildlife removal specialists who are taking steps to prevent the raccoons from entering the building and to remove any raccoons safely found within the school grounds.

Nayeli Santoyo, a district spokesperson, assured that the team would continue to monitor the situation until the issue is completely resolved.

McCallum High School, established in 1953, is the second oldest high school in AISD.

Parents have raised additional concerns about the aging infrastructure at the school, pointing to issues such as mold, unreliable air conditioning, and leaks during rainfall.

Responding to these complaints, Santoyo stated that a $66 million modernization project is set to begin this spring.

The phased renovations are expected to include updates to the school’s HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems, roof repairs, and athletic field upgrades.

The renovation project is anticipated to be complete by 2027.

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