Forget fungus, it's safe to mold minds at East, expert says

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Forget fungus, it's safe to mold minds at East, expert says

By Aimee Edmondson

edmondson@...

December 18, 2002

An environmental expert hired by Memphis City Schools is calling for East

High parents to rest easy about sending their kids to the school.

ph Jarvis of the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Reno told

school district leaders, East parents and local health officials Tuesday

that it's safe to hold classes there.

" I would send my children to that school, " Jarvis said after touring the

building and reviewing new reports from an environmental company hired by

the school district.

The school was turned on its ear last month when protesting students and

parents marched on the grounds, demanding that school district leaders

address East's mold problem. The 48-year-old building on Poplar in East

Memphis is partly underground and has needed repairs for years.

Students complained of respiratory problems and concern grew after the death

of a senior who had asthma.

The district has been working on the moisture problem for weeks and paid for

schoolwide medical screenings.

Yet East parents called for the school to be closed for a cleanup, though

initial environmental tests showed the school to be safe.

Supt. nie B. said he'd spend whatever was necessary to clean up

the mold and ensure safety. School officials estimate that the district will

spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, but couldn't provide exact figures.

They also haven't determined what part of the budget they'll look to cut to

make up the gap.

East's problems will help the district be prepared should the mold problem

come up at any of the district's other 175 schools, said.

Jarvis said the term " toxic mold " doesn't apply to East, though the term has

gained widespread use among the news media and East parents.

" It isn't true. 'Toxic mold' isn't the way we ought to talk about this, "

Jarvis said " It's extremely rare for such molds to cause serious disease. "

Mold can trigger allergic reactions and headaches, but most people aren't

affected by it, said Jarvis, an expert on " sick building syndrome. "

And when the mold is cleaned up, Jarvis said, the symptoms go away with no

long-term problems.

School maintenance crews will replace decayed wood and wipe down all

surfaces over the winter break.

After hearing Jarvis's presentation, East High parent representative Zorina

Bowen maintained that the district did too little, too late.

" He got here after they cleaned up for company, " Bowen said.

- Aimee Edmondson: 529-2773