Mold upsets Trinity (PA) parents

[Guest guest]

Friday, September 30, 2005

Mold upsets Trinity parents

  By Craig

TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Friday, September 30, 2005

Parents who say the Trinity Area School District in Washington County isn't

doing enough to clean up a mold problem at two elementary schools are pushing

beyond the school board for action. They have contacted U.S. Sen. Rick

Santorum's office, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the U.S.

Environmental

Protection Agency.

Parents said they are growing frustrated trying to get the school board to

address the problem at Trinity West and Trinity North elementary schools.

" We can't seem to get them to realize this is a problem, " parent Shaw

said.

The air conditioning systems at the schools have been turned off since August

because school officials believe moisture in the buildings is being caused by

condensation, the parents said.

Superintendent Dr. Turnbaugh acknowledged problems at the schools and

said the district undertook a temporary fix, pending a permanent solution to

be completed next year.

The school district hired a contractor that used an asbestos sealant to

contain mold on air conditioning pipes at the schools. A permanent fix could

cost

between $50,000 and $100,000.

" The mold count is higher on the playground than in the buildings, " Turnbaugh

said.

Shaw took her daughter, , 10, to two doctors after the girl developed

a rash several days after she started school.

" No doctor will say it's caused by mold, but she's fine all summer long, "

said Shaw, of Trinity Park, lin Township.

Her daughter was diagnosed with pityriasis rosea, a viral infection.

Parent Colleen Interval said she took a ceiling tile that contained mold to a

school board meeting. Interval said Turnbaugh wanted to press charges against

her for " disrupting a public meeting. "

Turnbaugh would not discuss the incident.

as has two children attending Trinity West, Stavros, 6, and Kaity,

9, who she said have been afflicted by various ailments. She said the school

board has wasted opportunities to correct the problem.

The manufacturer of the asbestos sealant said in a letter to as that the

product " has not been tested for microbial resistance or its ability to

encapsulate mold " and the company would not be able to warrant such an

application.

as received a letter from Santorum, a Penn Hills Republican, which said

he asked the state health department for an explanation about the mold problem.

State Health Department spokesman McGarvey said yesterday that mold

is a common problem in schools.

" We get notified pretty often, " he said in an interview.

The health department has no regulatory oversight of schools, but does offer

schools suggestions on ways to mediate the problem.

The Moss Side Elementary School in Monroeville was closed for almost a year

in 2002 because mold was found in the building. During the initial cleanup,

asbestos was also found.

More than 300 students were moved to other schools during the cleanup, which

ultimately cost more than $850,000.

Craig can be reached at csmith@... or (724) 850-1217.