Parents denied school access

May 27, 2006

Mold a concern at Kings High; system fixes coming

BY MICHAEL D. CLARK | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Cincinnati Enquirer - Cincinnati,OH,USA

AID=/20060527/NEWS01/605270352/1056

DEERFIELD TWP. - Two Kings High School parents who claim the

district is ignoring their concerns about mold tried to enter the

building Friday to conduct air-quality tests, but school officials

denied them access.

Bogan and Robin have contended for months that Kings

officials have endangered student health by overlooking potential

air-quality problems caused by mold.

Kings business director Steve Waldmann met the women - and two men

who identified themselves as air-quality experts - at the school's

main entrance. Waldmann handed them a statement from a Kings

attorney that stated officials are " not required to grant members of

the public access to the operating systems and infrastructure of its

school buildings. "

Waldmann and declined to comment. Bogan said she wanted more

details about Kings' plans to decontaminate some areas in the

building.

On June 2, Kings will start a $1.5 million renovation project to

overhaul the 17-year-old school's troubled heating and cooling

system. Since 2001 the building has been plagued by mold, odors,

high humidity and, earlier this year, high levels of carbon dioxide,

an indicator of poor ventilation.

Both parents no longer allow their children to attend the 1,100-

student school because of health problems they blame on mold.

The building is safe for students, according to inspections by the

Ohio Department of Health and the National Institute for

Occupational Safety and Health. Both agencies also have signed off

on Kings' ventilation repair plan. Work is scheduled to be done by

Aug. 22.

School critics say they don't trust the governments' findings.

" All we want to do is some independent testing, " said Meyer, an

anti-tax activist from Mason who has supported Bogan and .

Meyer lost a Republican primary this month for state representative.

E-mail mclark@...

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