St. East mold task force excludes teachers

[Guest guest]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/metro/dupage/article/0,2669,SAV-010608032

8,FF.html

St. East mold task force excludes teachers

By LeAnn Spencer

Tribune staff reporter

June 8, 2001

Officials for St. District 303 turned down a request from the

Illinois Education Association to have a representative monitor

conversations among experts trying to decide the best way to fight mold and

other environmental problems at St. East High School.

The district, however, has agreed to the education association's desire to

have a federal Environmental Protection Agency employee included in the

scientific group, which is looking at a whole range of environmental factors

including ventilation, air quality and lighting. And district officials

said Thursday that they would ask for public comment before deciding how to

fix the problem at the school.

St. East has been closed since the beginning of April because of the

discovery of mold in the building that is potentially dangerous to human

health.

The education association, which represents teachers and staff in District

303, wanted to monitor cleanup discussions to reassure uneasy teachers and

support staff that decisions will be made in the best interests of the

workers and students.

Association officials said they were disappointed that the school district

will not allow citizens to monitor the scientists, but the presence of an

EPA liaison might satisfy members.

Rick Lathrop, a negotiator for the Illinois Education Association, said

earlier that teachers and staff need reassurance.

" If our members go back into the building and our kids go back into that

school, the question is going to be is, `Is it safe?' " said Lathrop. He said

people have been complaining about the building since 1988, and, despite $6

million in repairs in 1998, the building still may be unfit.

" They have proven that what was done over the last 13 years was not

adequate, " he said. " The question is, `What will happen this time and why

should this be any different?' But if we hear the debate, it will mean that

people will [understand] and feel safe. "

School officials said it would not be practical to include non-scientists in

discussions among the seven-member panel, which includes engineers,

microbiologists and medical doctors. Besides analyzing the mold damage, the

experts will measure air quality and assess whether other chemical

contaminants are present.

" This professional advisory panel needs to have an opportunity to dialogue

professionally in a language that they understand themselves. It does not

make sense to have someone who is not a scientist to sit and watch what's

happening on that panel, " , assistant superintendent of

curriculum for District 303, said.

Because many of the experts are scattered around the country, much of the

discussion will take place by e-mail, telephone calls and by exchanging

documents, officials said.

" Every time one panel member calls another just to talk, does that mean that

they have to call a citizen committee member as well? " said.

The school district has promised that there will be frequent public updates

as well as time for suggestions and opinions from teachers, staff and

citizens before a final cleanup and repair plan is selected, she said.

" We have nothing to hide here, " said.