Parents' frustration mounts as students of both Lyndon B. Johnson and Tamuning Elementary Schools remain off-campus amid a prolonged Public Health shutdown. As both campuses remain closed, it makes for a clear answer to when both school populations can safely return to campus hangs in the air.

Dizzying talks of reinspections ever-evolving, leaving several LBJ parents on unsteady footing, wondering just how much longer their child will remain in virtual limbo.

“It was supposed to happen one day–and we didn’t know unless I asked on the chat—So, how are the inspections going? Oh, by the way, it’s been rescheduled–okay, only two days later, okay, that’s fine, we’ll just go ahead we’ve waited so long we can go ahead and wait a little bit more–and then that date happens, and there’s not even an actual follow-up date on that– so you’re just gonna keep us in the air?” said one parent.

It’s a lack of streamlining clear information that they say is keeping many Guam DOE parents in the dark. Their student attends the Tamuning campus.

The parents anonymously shared, “There just needs to be a clear communication between the schools—really between the Guam Department of Education, the individual schools, and the inspection teams. There needs to be that communication and then put out the information to the parents–because we’re all eagerly waiting for news–even if it’s bad news.”

Parents like them are holding out hope for anything to help guide them forward. The abrupt change has a ripple effect on the livelihood of many, with the parents continuing, “The number of single parents who are also trying to work and balance a must-have job with also working with kids at home. This has so many ramifications beyond just the students in the school, but it has an economic and just a livelihood impact for the parents.”

KUAM reaching out to Deputy Superintendent Erika Cruz, who says Public Health's reinspection for both LBJ and Tamuning Elementary are underway today. Cruz clarified that Public Health inspectors were in training this past Monday and Tuesday and were not able to conduct inspections on Wednesday for an unknown reason.

As for how Guam DOE updates parents on the status of pending inspection dates, Cruz said, “What we did was we had school administrators indicate what date they would be prepared for inspection, and so, we do have a listing, and a pressor should go out–hopefully, by next week so that parents would know when their child’s schools will be inspected–so, they would at least be informed and be well aware of when the inspection will be. We don’t want to keep the information a secret; that’s not the intent.”

For the time being, Cruz anticipates inspections for both LBJ and Tamuning Elementary should be complete by next Wednesday, with the results expected the following day.

Late Friday, Public Health spokesperson Don Sulat told KUAM News Tamuning Elementary is undergoing reinspection and that inspectors will get to LBJ sometime next week.