Concerns persist about mold

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Concerns persist about mold

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06/09/05

by jennifer przydzial

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The smell smacked a visitor in the face upon entering Parkville

Middle School for an April 21 meeting.

When a reporter asked Principal Edgar about the pungent

odor, he denied its existence.

" I have no idea what you are talking about, " he said.

Edgar said the school did have mold problems in the auditorium last

year.

But, he said, " we took the proper measures. "

" Two teachers had concerns last year. They seem to be well and are

back to work. "

After the reporter brought the smell to the attention of the school

system, Reginald Ringgold, a specialist for environmental services

of Baltimore County Public Schools, did a walkthrough of the

building May 18, according to Herndon, a spokesman for

Baltimore County Public Schools.

Ringgold checked the ventilation system for the odor and found no

signs of mold, Herndon said.

Parkville Middle underwent a $7 million renovation beginning in July

2003. Those renovations included new ceilings throughout the school

and new venting and ductwork, Herndon said.

Although Edgar said he has received no complaints about mold this

year, Craig Borne, a former sixth-grade English teacher, and Toni

Breining, a Spanish teacher, disagree.

Both say the smell is mold. Both also say the mold was the reason

that last year each missed more than 100 of the 197 days teachers

are required to be in school.

In situations like the one at Parkville, the Teachers Association of

Baltimore County makes sure faculty and staff are informed and

communication is kept open between them and Baltimore County Public

Schools, said Cheryl Bost, president of the teacher's union.

She said the union had representatives at the meetings held at the

school with the school's health services department. The union would

not take a position on whether mold still exists in the school.

Breining said the mold is on ceiling tiles, caused by leaks in the

roof that allow water to seep through and mold to grow.

She said she tries to avoid areas in the school, such as the

auditorium, orchestra room and a lower activity room near the

auditorium, that she says have mold and trigger her coughing.

Borne said last year the faculty council surveyed 70 to 80 teachers.

About 30 said they felt sick in school but were fine at home, he

said.

" Many are afraid to speak out, " he said.

The faculty council cited the survey to encourage the administration

to conduct another indoor air-quality test.

But the administration, Borne said, refused because it felt enough

testing had been done. Borne pointed out that no testing had been

done since the construction began.

Ringgold did an inspection in 2003, when teachers complained about

the environment at the school, Herndon said.

The indoor air-quality tests showed no signs of mold.

An examination of the ventilation system, cleaning materials used

and the dust stirred up from the renovation showed nothing that

would pose a health issue, Herndon said.

" We could not find anything that would cause health risks, " Herndon

said.

Left out in the cold

In the spring of 2003, Breining developed a cough that dissipated in

the summer but started up again in the fall, when she returned to

school, she said.

" It was so bad I couldn't even lie down, " said Breining, a Parkville

resident.

Tests by her doctor, she said, revealed that she was allergic to

mold.

By December, Breining was wheezing and taking six medications.

The school assured her the problem had been taken care of and she

could return to school. But when she came back, so did her health

problems.

Breining asked to be moved to one of four portable classrooms in

front of the school.

The school system turned down her request but agreed to let her

transfer to another school.

In May 2004, Breining was sent to Woodlawn Middle, where she would

teach in a portable classroom.

" If I was going to be in a portable trailer, why couldn't I be in

one at my own school? " she said.

The school system responded that Woodlawn Middle was a Title 1

school and needed teachers who meet the standards to be termed

highly qualified.

To be designated as highly qualified, a teacher must have a state

teaching certificate and be certified in the subject he or she is

teaching by a passing a standardized test.

Briening is qualified to teach English, math, social studies and

science.

But she does not have a degree in Spanish nor has she passed the

standardized test, Breining said.

Change for the better

Borne said he began feeling run- down and the onset of a cold Aug.

19, 2003, around the same time he was setting up his classroom,

located near the auditorium, for the upcoming school year.

After a month with a cough, headache and postnasal drip, he saw his

physician.

" I had the type of cough that made me sit down in the middle of

class, " the Hall resident said.

Borne's doctor said his red throat and inflamed nostrils could be

the result of either a viral or bacterial infection and prescribed

medication for both.

From Oct. 20 to Nov. 5, he was out of school and began to feel

better.

A doctor's visit Oct. 31 revealed that his symptoms had disappeared.

He did not return to work then because his doctor had prescribed

staying out until Nov. 5.

However, once Borne returned to work, so did his symptoms.

Although allergy tests could not pinpoint what was making him sick,

his physician and an ear, nose and throat doctor told him they did

not want him in the school building while the renovation

construction that began in July 2003 was going on.

By mid-January, he had used up all his sick leave and applied to the

Teachers Association of Baltimore County's sick leave bank.

A teacher can use the program after being a member of the union for

two years, Bost said.

Before applying to the sick leave bank, teachers must go three days

without pay. They then can apply for 20 days of paid sick leave at a

time.

Every two weeks, a union committee reviews claims for the bank.

After the committee approves a teacher for 20 days, the request must

be approved by Baltimore County Public Schools, Bost said.

Every 20 days, a teacher can reapply.

Teachers may receive up to 191 days from the sick leave bank in

their career.

Borne's first request for 20 days of leave was approved. The second

time he applied, he was denied.

The teacher was not paid for three months. On May 5, he was

transferred to Woodlawn Middle, like Breining, only inside the

building.

Borne was willing to permanently transfer to Woodlawn Middle, but

his wishes were not granted.

" I am disgusted in how the county did nothing to help us, " he said.

Borne has since left Parkville Middle.

After pursuing a law degree for four years at night, he was

appointed by Gov. Ehrlich to the land Department of

Transportation in December.

He said he no longer gets sick at work.