CedarBridge closed

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11/3/2006 12:13:00 PM

CedarBridge closed

Nigel Regan

Chief Reporter

Bermuda Sun - Bermuda

http://www.bermudasun.bm/main.asp?

SectionID=24 & SubSectionID=270 & ArticleID=31442 & TM=4943.612

Plan B sought as workmen tackle school mould

It could take months before CedarBridge Academy is safe to go back

into, a lawyer and former engineer said yesterday.

Government finally closed the school on Thursday for an " interim "

period following complaints by teachers that mould was making them

sick.

But lawyer Harshaw, who is representing one of the teachers,

told us last night: " If the Government thinks they can solve the

problem in two or three weeks they are being unrealistic. The

problem can only be solved by a course of action that's going to

take two or three months at least - and that's just to make it

reasonably safe. "

Education Minister Randy Horton speaking at a press conference

yesterday said he didn't know how long it was going to take to

remove the mould but that he has asked other government ministries

to devise and implement alternative programmes " for as long as

necessary. "

Speaking to us after the press conference, the school's principal,

Kalmar s, said: " We don't have the definitive closing date

[for when the remedial work will be completed]. Our goal is to make

sure the environment is safe and ready for our students. "

The Education Ministry's permanent secretary, Rosemary Tyrrell, also

addressed our question about timelines with a non-definitive answer

saying: " When we allow our entire school family back, it will be

because we have got a clear bill of sales… however long that takes. "

The Chief Medical Officer, Cann, stressed the importance of not

only clearing the mould but making sure it doesn't come back

again. " We know we have a problem, " he said.

Now the school is closed the big question being asked yesterday by

scores of parents we spoke to was: " Why did it take so long for

anyone to tell us about it? "

The education officials couldn't answer the question yesterday. Mr.

Horton, who was renamed Education Minister on Monday, said he didn't

have any answers right now but he has ordered an investigation.

He said: " I would have the same concern as any parent would have. As

the Minister responsible I will be reviewing all the processes. "

This newspaper reported there was a problem at the school as early

as April this year. We wrote about how one teacher had been off work

sick for 18 months and how others were taking trips to the doctors

with breathing problems.

No response

At that time the Bermuda Union of Teachers said it had received a

complaint from a teacher but that there had been no response from

the Education Ministry.

The general secretary told us then: " We've had no

reports from the government of anything that is being done to

alleviate the problems at any building. " He also told us a Ministry

official had told him that the school's principal, Kalmar s,

had said there were no problems at the school.

Yesterday, the Government tried to put the focus on what it's doing

now as opposed to speculating about whether anyone or any department

is to blame for how long it's taken to get anything done. But that

doesn't necessarily offer any comfort to parents.

One told us: " We should have been informed much earlier. I'm

concerned for my son's health now. If I'd have been told about it I

could have made an informed decision about what to do. "

Belboda, who was the chairman of the school's PTSA for three

years up until September this year, says school officials were

irresponsible for not telling parents.

She said: " We were never officially given information about the

mould.

" I questioned it when it came to my attention and I also spoke to a

concerned teacher who was having respiratory problems that she

thought were related to the mould in the school. She had asked the

administration to address it. "

Mrs Belboda continued: " I brought it up at board level with the

board of governors because it's their responsibility to make sure

the school is in good repair. "

She said she was told tests had been conducted and that the air

samples were good. " That was the end of it. It didn't really come up

again, " she said.

Now there are reports the mould is the potentially dangerous

aspergillus fungus. Ms Belboda, who recently removed her daughter

from the school for other reasons, said: " I have had parents tell

me, 'this is Bermuda, mould is a fact of life' and you can't argue

with that. But when you have got toxic mould, that's a problem that

parents should have been told about. The board was remiss and the

Education Department was remiss for not keeping parents informed. "

Another parent we spoke to said she was " irritated " by the

authorities for " keeping me in the dark. " She said: " Why did I have

to learn about this on the evening newscast. They might have been

trying to avoid putting us in a panic, but parents have a right to

know. "

Government has now set up an email address for parents to send

questions to. It is cba@.... They can also call 278-3304.

Questions will be answered as soon as the answers are available. A

parents' meeting is also scheduled to take place tonight at 5.30pm.

The location had yet to be determined last night and parents were

urged to check today's radio reports.

While we wait for the results of the official investigation, some

with intimate details of the problem blame the perceived inaction on

a lack of communication between the school's board of governors,

which is responsible for the school's physical structure, and the

Government, which is responsible for the health and safety of staff

and students. Again, Mr. Horton promised definitive answers as soon

as he has them.

" The emphasis is to find out how we can close any gaps that are

there, " he said. Answering his own question of what happens next,

Mr. Horton said: " First, the disruption of the education of our

children must be kept to a minimum. The Departments of Sport,

Transport and Education are collaborating to develop a contingency

plan in the event that the work being undertaken at the school is

not completed after the mid-term holiday. "

Staff met with officials yesterday and another meeting is scheduled

for today to " assess the implications of any lost instructional

time, " Mr. Horton said. The Minister said he didn't know how much it

was going to cost to bring the school back into use. " Our priority

is to restore normalcy at the earliest opportunity, " he said.

Reader Comments

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Posted: Saturday, November 04, 2006

Posted by: Bermyman

While I'm sure the ministry is the main culprit in the slow action

to get this problem fixed, why isn't principal Kalmar s being

held accountable too? From the previous previous accounts in the Sun

and Gazette, she obvoisly thought things were okay. I think she's

gotten a free pass for too long on what's been happening at

CedarBridge. Someone has to take responsibility for the low

graduation rates and the buck stops at her desk. They should replace

her with someone else.

Posted: Saturday, November 04, 2006

Posted by: Hugh Blackwood

Place your bets... place your bets.... no one will be held

accountable! " Wern't me " seems like an echo with this govt.

Posted: Saturday, November 04, 2006

Posted by: Observaman

Three years ago a lady that I know was the first person to get sick

from that mold. She has had surgery in her sinuses about a year ago

to try and correct the problems she is having and her quality of

life has diminished greatly. It is quite a struggle for her to work

in her life long field of fashion design as now many fabrics trigger

a direct alergic reaction due to the damage to her body from that

mold. She has not been offered any kind of compensation for this

even after many written attempts about this over the years to

various academic and governmental departments. The sad thing is that

no one in govt or at the school even remotely attempted to address

this issue when she had brought it up. Basically they told her it

was all in her head and swept the problem under the carpet. Anyone

associated with handling this issue needs to be held accountable

because this amounts to gross negligence. I hope this lady is

eventually compensated greatly for all the suffering she has endured

and will continue to endure.

Posted: Friday, November 03, 2006

Posted by: randy pitcher

All parents need to get a lawyer! Aspergillus fungus is not the same

as the green mold we see in damp spots out side or on the roof. Just

another sad situation where zero leadership and extremely poor

governance has been shown... Vote PLP if you want more the same, as

I have heard this song before and I am getting sick hearing it.

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