Mold in the schools

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The River Reporter

My View

Mold in the schools

http://www.riverreporter.com/issues/06-02-23/letters.html

I was at the Liberty Board of Education meeting on February 13. A

group of very concerned parents and citizens has been pushing the

board for almost a year to address the issue of children and staff

getting sick in the three schools. This board is now claiming that

it is doing something, but let's look at what they are, in fact,

doing.

For 13 years, the custodial staff has been " fixing " the problems of

mold by replacing ceiling tiles, pulling up rugs and trying to stop

water incursions. But teachers and custodial staff have been getting

sick for years, without knowing why. The board of education, in

private session, approved the retirement of the librarian, who

became sick while doing her job in the leaking middle school

library. I believe many teachers are now intimidated and fear for

their jobs if they come forward.

At the board of education meeting on December 12, 2005, there was a

large group of people who wanted to have input in the public

participation portion. The president closed the question-and-answer

period after a couple of questions. Instead, the president and board

should be actively soliciting questions and participation from the

community they represent.

They hired building scientists to do a minimal structural study

rather than hire certified industrial hygienists, who sign a code of

ethics. They were given names of people with decades of experience,

certified industrial hygienists and toxicologists, who never agree

to compromise or ignore the health of building occupants, but they

didn't use them.

Both the president of the board, Burke, and the superintendent

of schools, Larry e, refused to allow anyone to videotape the

presentation by consulting firm Camroden during the open session.

This frustrated parents who wanted to have accurate records of the

report by Camroden. Please note that earlier in the public portion

of the meeting, parents were allowed to video student presentations

to the public and students receiving awards.

When a parent complained that she had not been told of any water

incursions, preventing her from making informed decisions about

sending her child to school, the superintendent noted that water is

used for cleaning, and said all problems were being taken care of.

He did not address the right of parents to make decisions on behalf

of their own children for their children's health.

A public meeting was held on January 20 outside the school. The four

board members, whose seats are up for election, were invited. Many

community members showed up, but only the president of the board

did.

What about the health and safety of our children, whose bodies are

growing and are most susceptible to the effects of the mold and

mycotoxins that were demonstrated to be present six months ago? How

can a 13-year-old problem be " fixed " without stopping the water

incursions—something that has not happened? I am wondering how

Camroden came up with a clean bill of health for the schools. And I

am disturbed that they say remediation is not necessary, without

bothering to do air testing. I am concerned that they admitted they

don't know much about the relationship between mold and human

health.

Meanwhile, our children and teachers are in a clearly unsafe

building by definition, according to the National Institute for

Occupational Safety and Health, the Environmental Protection Agency,

the Institute of Medicine and all credible authorities: it is a very

wet building that has grown mold.

Padma Dyvine

Liberty, NY