Trinity parents protest handling of school mold

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Saturday, October 1, 2005

Washington,PA

Trinity parents protest handling of school mold

BY CHRISTIE CAMPBELL, Staff writer

chriscam@...

http://www.observer-reporter.com/285237789361558.bsp

Fearing their children may have health problems related to mold

inside Trinity West Elementary School, a handful of parents

protested near the school Friday.

As school buses carrying students left the grounds in North lin

Township, the mothers called on the administration to move their

children to other schools or house them in temporary classrooms.

" They don't care, " as said of the administration. She

said efforts to get school officials to take necessary steps to

ensure their children's health have been unsuccessful.

Dr. Turnbaugh, Trinity School District superintendent, did

not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. However,

the district has removed carpeting from 10 classrooms and taken

temporary measures to encapsulate the mold. District officials also

did air sampling and determined the mold spore count inside the

school was lower than that outside. The district also plans to

replace all the insulation at the end of the year.

as charged that the encapsulating product will not prevent the

mold from spreading. She produced a letter from the Co. of

Vadnais Heights, Minn., that recommends its products for sealing

asbestos, not mold encapsulation.

The women also claim protective measures were not taken when

carpeting was lifted in the building, thus spreading the spores even

further. They fear mold remains in heating ductwork and will become

more of a hazard once heat is turned on inside the building.

McGarvey, a spokesman for the state Department of Health

said no state agency regulates mold inside school buildings,

although the department has been in touch with the school district

and made recommendations for dealing with the problem.

" We get these complaints fairly often, especially in the first

couple weeks of school, " he said, noting that buildings left vacant

during the summer without running ventilation enables the mold to

grow.

Symptoms of mold exposure would include upper respiratory problems

such as runny eyes and noses, sinus infections and sore throats, he

said.

The women said those are exactly the symptoms their children are

suffering from.

Shaw said when her 10-year-old daughter returned to school

this year she immediately got a rash.

" I feel sick sending my kids to school every day, " she said.