School to close for mold cleanup

April 21, 2007

2TheAdvocate - Baton Rouge,LA

By PATRICK COURREGES

Advocate Acadiana bureau

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/7130036.html

LAFAYETTE — Plantation Elementary School will be closed to students

and staff Monday and Tuesday while crews clean the heating and air

conditioning systems after a report of a possible toxic mold

infestation.

The state Department of Health and Hospitals officials made a visual

inspection of the school Friday and reported no signs of a major

infestation.

Cleaning will begin today.

Lafayette Parish school system Facilities Director Bordelon

said that the contractor hired by the system will take samples

before cleaning — air samples, bulk samples and samples of what tape

lifts off of surfaces — and after.

After Friday's inspection, state health and parish school officials

met with Plantation parents to address their concerns and talk about

what was found and what comes next.

Local pediatrician and allergist Brent Prather took the inspection

tour and answered questions along with the officials, offering a

free second opinion to any Plantation parents who were concerned

their children might be affected by a reaction to toxic mold.

He said that, from what he has seen, mold is not a major factor in

whatever health problems the school's students may be dealing with.

" In my opinion, there's no mold toxin problem at this school, "

Prather said. " My personal opinion is that this is not a sick

building syndrome at this school. "

A toxic form of black mold was detected in school-system-paid tests

in the school's band room and contractors cleaned the area in

question over the Easter break.

Ken Lanier, with DHH, agreed with Prather's observation.

" We don't feel, having checked the school specifically for mold,

that it's a mold-related problem, " he said.

Several parents at the meeting expressed their concern that

something at the school has been making their children sick, with

several noting that their children have become sick when in the

school and have improved on being away from it for awhile.

Lafayette School Board member Hunter Beasley and others said that

the latest unofficial tally is that parents of seven students have

reported their children have tested positive for a reaction to mold

toxins.

Lafayette school system spokeswoman e Sutley said officials

are going ahead with the cleaning plans, even though DHH officials

said the building was " above-average environmentally " and that the

cleaning might be unnecessary.

Beasley told the gathered parents that the School Board will be

acting to fix whatever problems exist at the school.

" We are committed, both as individuals, that we care for your

children, but also financially, " he said of the cost of the testing

and cleaning.

Beasley said he wants to see the board implement a plan for

Plantation and any other schools that where parents might have

similar concerns, especially in light of some apparent problems in

the way the air conditioning systems in Plantation were maintained.

" The condition of our schools is deplorable, no doubt about it, " he

said.

April 21, 2007

Be aware of rooms with wall to wall carpeting. Once it gets into the

carpeting, all the carpeting must be taken up and trashed or it will

just thrive and make more kids sick.

May 17, 2007

Pulling up of carpeting HAS to be done with negative air

or you can end up with full blown chemical intollerance and proceed with a

respirator from now on in public, unable to breathe indoor air.

I had classic mold symptoms when my school decided to pull the rug after

the 13 year leak.

THey DIDNt use negative air, nor cantainment for the very large space.

When I went back in, I got very very ill.

llaci2003 wrote:

> Be aware of rooms with wall to wall carpeting. Once it gets into the

> carpeting, all the carpeting must be taken up and trashed or it will

> just thrive and make more kids sick.

>

> _

>

May 17, 2007

A similar thing happened to me.

How can they get away with this?

They probably think that cleaning it up properly is some kind of an

admission that mold can make people sick.

Maybe they would rather more people got ill than admit they may have made a

mistake?

On 5/17/07, Page <apage1@...> wrote:

>

> Pulling up of carpeting HAS to be done with negative air

> or you can end up with full blown chemical intollerance and proceed with a

> respirator from now on in public, unable to breathe indoor air.

>

> I had classic mold symptoms when my school decided to pull the rug after

> the 13 year leak.

> THey DIDNt use negative air, nor cantainment for the very large space.

> When I went back in, I got very very ill.

>

May 17, 2007

My husband pulled up our carpet in our bedroom. It was so nasty. I

had thought it was brown but it was really blue and looked brown

because of the dirt. I kept waking up trying to catch my breath. I

told my husband but he did not pay me any attention. Well, guess

what?? He woke up not breathing one night and he sealed off the room

from the rest of the house with thick plastic and tape, opened the

windows and got that sucker out! We have a door that leads to the

outside right by the room so thankfully we did not have to pull that

carpet through the house!!! He allowed the room to air over night

with the windows open. The next day he vacumned and we both scrubbed

the walls and ceiling from top to bottom with a solution of ammonina,

baking soda and vinegar. There is a recipe for this mixture on the

back of the ammonia that BiLo sells....don't just throw this stuff

without proper measurements... Now our cement floor is painted but

at least we can breath!! Not too long ago, the people who lived here

before said there had been a leak in that room and the former

residents had dogs in that room...no wonder I was breathless!

>

> > Be aware of rooms with wall to wall carpeting. Once it gets into

the

> > carpeting, all the carpeting must be taken up and trashed or it

will

> > just thrive and make more kids sick.

> >

> > _

> >

>

May 19, 2007

this is encouraging to all of us. i am so glad you isolated the problem.

jackiebreeze <jackiebreeze@...> wrote: My husband pulled up our

carpet in our bedroom. It was so nasty. I