New Hope Academy

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KPRC Click2Houston.com

Thursday November 08 10:56 PM EST

Lawsuit Filed In Moldy School Case

It's become commonplace around the Houston area -- mold in homes.

One school experienced a mold problem after a roof kept leaking, prompting

school officials to file a lawsuit.

Students and teachers at New Hope Academy complained of the leaking roof for

years, and months of headaches, scratchy throats, and other symptoms,

prompted the school to move buildings.

But not before a lawsuit was filed claiming that proper repairs were not

made to the building, causing toxic mold to start growing inside the school.

Teachers at New Hope Academy said that the school playground was the only

place they and the children didn't feel sick because toxic mold inside the

school was making them sick.

Several students told News2Houston that the mold made their " brain hurt. "

Photographs taken at the school, along with tests, showed that mold was

found in classrooms, hallways, and offices inside the building.

" I was having trouble breathing, " teacher Alisa Bullock said. " My throat was

closing up and burning. "

Bullock, a first-grade teacher, had to be hospitalized last month for her

symptoms.

" The doctor said, 'Don't go back over there,' " Bullock said.

The academy moved to a building at Deerbrook Baptist Church. The owner of

the academy is suing the previous owner of the former building, Temple Beth

Torah.

" There were a lot of runny noses, headaches and nausea at times, " Bullock

said. " I'm concerned. I'm just glad we're out of the building. "

A spokesman for the temple said that he had not seen the tests or the

lawsuit so he could not comment on the allegations.

The owner of the academy told News2Houston that school was suspended for six

days because of the mold, and the teachers said that they and the students

are feeling much better since moving to a new building.