Mold might be making students sick

[Guest guest]

Mold might be making students sick

10/9/2005 12:29 PM

By: Adam Shub, News 14 Carolina

WATCH THE VIDEO

http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/local_news/gaston/?

AC= & ArID=104278 & SecID=7

Mold in School

Several parents believe their children are ill because of a mold

problem at Lowell Elementary School.

LOWELL, N.C. – Parents in Gaston County believe their children are

getting sick in school.

School board member Kemp has confirmed that a clean-up for

mold is already underway at Lowell Elementary School, but some

parents said they are still not satisfied with the way the school is

handling the situation.

Tammy Manfredi's son has already missed seven days of kindergarten

this year.

" What kind of student is he going to be in school coughing, his eyes

are itching, his skin is itching, " she said.

Manfredi said Principal ita Knight admitted there was a mold

problem in the library, which was closed all of September. Some

families got phone calls, but that was all.

Lowell Elementary School's library was closed last month for a mold

clean-up.

" She said she could not send a letter out to the parents until she

had authorization to do so, " Manfredi said.

That's when Manfredi opted to do so. On Wednesday afternoon she

handed out a flier to parents.

The next morning the mother received more than a dozen phone calls

from parents with similar stories.

" (They said) `My child has never been sick before, he's starting to

get sick, he's got nose bleeds, asthma' – the same problems mine's

had, " she said.

Hunter was one of those parents. Her son has also missed

more than a week of school and logged three separate trips to the

doctor.

Parent Tammy Manfredi took matters into her own hands and handed

out a flier about the mold problem on Wednesday.

" They took blood out of both of his arms to test him for a mold

allergy and to see if that's why his problems keep occurring, " she

said.

They are still waiting for the test results.

Hunter said Principal Knight told her they were cleaning the library

books and wiping down the classrooms, and that they were doing the

best they could. She said Knight assured her there was nothing to

worry about.

" Maybe it's just a parent blowing it out of proportion, " Hunter said.

Knight declined to comment to News14 Carolina on the allegations.

The station also made several attempts to contact school officials.

Manfredi said a private environmental contractor has tested other

parts of the school outside the library. The results are due early

next week.

Web Journalist: Varner