MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A group of North Memphians two months ago demanded change from Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) about an abandoned school deemed a public nuisance.
ABC24 discovered the district has responded to the issues surrounding Kipp Memphis Academy Elementary, formerly known as Shannon Elementary.
Jessie Dotson said he has lived near the school for nearly 50 years. He said since the school shutdown, the neighborhood hasn't been the same.
"It's so much crime going on, and 90 percent of it, I mean 95 percent of it, is juveniles," Dotson said.
According to Dotson, he believes if the district brings something positive to replace Kipp Memphis Academy Elementary, it would uplift the community. He said there's hope a vocational school will fill in the gaps.
"I feel like we can't do no better in this neighborhood, and I feel like it would help 100 percent," he said. "I really do."
MSCS boarded up the school in response to someone attempting to set it on fire.
Two months ago a group of North Memphians wanted to clean up the inside.
"We had to move the clean-up date to another day but our commissioner, Althea Greene, she immediately got the school boarded up," said business owner Marvin Coleman.
Coleman told ABC24 he has plans to bring a sense of hope back to North Memphis. He said he's waiting to hear back on the next steps from the district.
"We have future meetings — God willing maybe next month we'll be able to sit down, and the superintendent had said she's gonna decide what we're gonna do with this school," Coleman said.
Althea Greene with MSCS did confirm with ABC24 they are continuing to speak with Coleman on purchasing the school.