NORFOLK, Va. — Yvonne Wagner is proud to be a part of the Class of 1969 from Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk.
For Wagner, the school, which is now more than a hundred years old, isn't just a place to learn.
Watch: Alumni group plans rally as Norfolk School Board considers Booker T. Washington HS improvements
"This is where you get your basics. You grow up—you have teachers that are your mentors," Wagner said. "If you look through history and look at some of the names, we have doctors, lawyers, city council workers. They were all because of what we were taught at Booker T. Washington High School."
It's also a symbol of Black history in Norfolk. It's one of two historic African American high schools in Virginia—the other being IC Norcom High School in Portsmouth.
Watch: Norfolk Public Schools offering free meals during Summer Food Service Program
"Booker T. was one the school they gave African Americans back in 1917 because there was segregation and we did not have a high school," Wagner told News 3's Jay Greene. "We could not go anywhere else. That was the only game in town."
Charles Gore, who graduated from Booker T. Washington in 1962, said it's life history experienced.
"Booker T. taught me how to be a man," Gore said. "It gave me directions on how to stand on my own two feet and face the challenges of life."
Watch: School board unanimously votes to build new Maury High School in Norfolk
The school, located between Princess Anne Road and Virginia Beach Boulevard at Park Avenue, is home to more than 900 students, according to the Virginia Department of Education's School Quality profile.
The building is currently going through a $44 million renovation project. It includes replacing doors, windows, roofing, bathrooms, and upgrading fire and communication systems.
The district intends to upgrade the school's HVAC system, which, according to the district, "did not supply fresh air due to the original design and aged units that are not performing efficiently.
Watch: NPS school year start date change met with mixed reactions
Booker T. Washington has been in its current location since the 1970s and the organization Unified Booker T. Washington Alumni and Friends said in a release that it's concerned over "unsafe, unhealthy and inequitable conditions" at the school, including issues with possible mold and asbestos and the curriculum.
Those concerns were vocalized to the board by alumni, including Yvonne, and former teachers at Wednesday night's school board meeting. The meeting was standing room only.
"I called a couple of the school board members and they met with us and said there was asbestos in the building," Wagner said to the board.
Watch: Parents tell board school building is 'crumbling'
In Wagner's address Wednesday night, she said she other constituents met with the school board members in addition to Superintendent Dr. Sharon Byrdsong.
But she felt the meetings weren't fruitful.
"From that meeting, we did not resolve anything," Wagner said. "It's amazing to see from 1964, we're right back where we started."
Watch: Norfolk Public Schools to start mid August in 2024-25 school year
Wagner told the board the roof going on to the high school collapsed earlier on in the construction, leading to leaking and mold.
Corenthina Picou told the board alumni are requesting a new school be built.
"This would address our concerns and would also allow the legacy of Booker T. to continue into the 21st Century as a state-of-the-art facility that has provided quality education fore over 100 years."
As of the Wednesday night, the school board told Greene they were still working to prepare a statement about those claims.
The board on Wednesday discussed Booker T. Washington's STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) curriculum.
School Board Member Carlos Clanton addressed the concerns during the meeting.
"Since 2018, we have been consistently, when it comes to Booker T. Washington, trying to move the needle, trying to right the things that happened in the past," he said. "That takes funding, that takes resources and that takes time."
Clanton then addressed the conerns of mold and asbestos.
"When we started this roof replacement over a year ago, we had some really bad rain storms that came through, so the rood was already compromised as we were trying to fix it," he said. "We have a commitment for Booker T. Washington and all of our students in Norfolk Public Schools recieve what they need."
Wagner and her fellow alumni are pushing for a new building, and they are hoping for equity.
"Show us that you are sincere about making things better for our schools on the Southside," Wagner said. "Equity to me would be that all kids have the opportunity to have success."
