The Greenville (Mississippi) district is closing, at least temporarily, one of its middle schools that because of mold and leaks.

Mississippi Today reports that leaders of the financially troubled district say the closure of Coleman Middle School is temporary, but they are not saying how long repairs might take.

Superintendent Ilean Richards told the board that she feared the state health department would shutter Coleman, which has more than 200 students.

"Because we have not repaired that roof, it's literally raining in the school," she said. "Children should not have to go to school in that kind of condition."

The school board voted to relocate Coleman students to T. L. Weston Middle School.

District leaders did not disclose when repairs would begin, and it's unclear how the district would pay for renovations. The 2026-27 school year starts on Aug. 5.

The second floor of Coleman cannot be used because of the leaking roof, Richards said. School staff have to wipe away mold on walls after rain.

The school's library also cannot be used in part because of mold, Richards said.

Coleman alumni have voiced concerns about the board shuttering a storied community institution. Coleman was the city's Black high school during segregation and won multiple state football championships.

Other alumni were upset to see their beloved alma mater in a state of disrepair. They said it was proof that leaders had not properly cared for it over the years.