Mold problem forces parents to pull child out of school

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Mold problem forces parents to pull child out of school

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Knoxville,TN

Two County parents say they are keeping their child at home

until a problem at his school is fixed.

Mike is certain allergies aren't ailing his son.Advertisement

says, " It's severe headaches, running nose, congestion. He

has a hard time breathing. He even has some hearing loss. I'm not

sure if it's from the mold but it certainly can't be helping it. "

's 10 year old son attends Valley View Elementary in

LaFollette. recently went inside his child's classroom and

took several pictures of the mold covering the desks, the walls, and

ceiling tiles.

adds, " It's child endangerment, child abuse, child neglect.

I'm very concerned that's why he's at home and not at that school. "

Steve Rutherford, the school's Principal says, " He feels that's best

for his child so I am not gonna question that. If it may have been

my child I might not have done that immediately. I may have given

the school system time to get it taken care of but that's his child.

He needs to do what's best for his child. "

According to the school, one student has had to switch classrooms

due to the mold, but he had pre-existing medical problems.

Rutherford says he first learned about the mold problem in mid

August. The school immediately contacted a company to help take care

of the situation by putting special chemicals in the heat and air

units. Workers also bought two dehumidifiers and washed the

classroom desks with bleach.

Many parents first learned about the mold through a letter sent out

by fifth grade teacher Arnold on November 7th.

Arnold says she sent the letter on her own to make sure parents were

aware of what was going on.

In the letter, Arnold says the class had gone through 30 large boxes

of tissues since the start of the school, so she knows the mold is

affecting the kids.

The school has since drilled the classroom to see if leaky plumbing

might be to blame but that doesn't seem to be the case. Crews have

also replaced the ceiling tiles, repainted the room with mold

resistant paint and cleaned the desks. The school is also looking

into other options.

says, " This ain't something a coat of paint is gonna help.

They need to go in and clean it out. They need to take care of the

problem. "

Rutherford says, " There has not been a lot of people absent in that

classroom so I don't think it's become a major health issue as of

yet. If we get it taken care of, it never will be. We have nothing

to hide here. We as a faculty and staff here love the children and

we want to take care of them. We wouldn't do anything to endanger

them. "

Both administrators and parents want this moldy mystery solved soon.

" I want to see it gone before my child goes back. I hope a lot of

other parents in the county take their kids out too. It ain't gonna

get better, " says .

photojournalist Yantis , Photographer

Robin Murdoch , Reporter

Last updated: 11/14/2005 7:27:30 PM