Nova Scotia Canada School mould problems

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Mom pulls son out of school over worries about mould

By CATHY VON KINTZEL Truro Bureau

ONLSOW — Concerns about possible mould contamination have prompted a

Truro-area mother to keep her high-risk asthmatic son home from

school indefinitely.

" He'll be home until I get an answer that it's safe for him to

return, " said Donna Starks, whose 13-year-old son, , is a

Grade 8 student at Central Colchester Junior High School.

Chignecto-Central regional school board officials say the Onslow

school is safe for use by 400 students plus staff, despite the

discovery Monday of wet, discoloured drywall in a stairwell ceiling.

But they are also leaving it up to parents of children with medical

problems to make up their own minds.

The area was sealed, and negative ventilation fans were installed to

ensure air and dust from the area couldn't escape into the rest of

the 45-year-old building during repairs. Air quality tests will be

conducted before the stairwell is reopened.

Ms. Starks said Thursday her son, not the school, informed her of

the situation and since then, no one has been able to give her

enough information and absolute assurances it's safe for her son to

be in the building.

" I want to know who's going to tell me when he can go back to

school, " she said.

" Why is it left to parents? I'm not qualified to say when the school

is safe. I don't have enough information to make that decision. "

The concerned mother thinks the school should have closed early for

the Christmas holidays, so work crews could get in to make repairs,

look for other problems and test the air.

School board spokeswoman Terri Mingo-MacNeill said a media release

will be issued once repairs and air quality testing are completed.

" We'll do our best to provide all parents with current and relevant

information before school restarts. "

Ms. Mingo-MacNeill said the wet building material hasn't been tested

for mould, but workers are handling it as if it is contaminated.

The removal is being supervised by the board's health and safety co-

ordinator, who deemed the rest of the building safe.

" Because the area has been sealed off, staff and students are able

to safely remain in the school, " the spokeswoman said.

The stairwell ceiling is being replaced, and the board has hired a

roof specialist to determine the origin of the leak that caused the

damage. A closer assessment of the rest of the school will be

conducted during the Christmas break, but staff are confident they

won't find any other problems.

The Nova Scotia Labour Department has also been notified about

cleanup plans.

( cvonkintzel@...)