Video - NJ school closed after mold found

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NJ school closed after mold found

Students forced to attend classes elsewhere

By Art McFarland

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=our_schools & id=4811265

7Online.com - New York,NY,

(New Jersey - WABC, November 30, 2006) - A school in New Jersey is

infested with mold and a teacher there says it's made him sick.

The elementary school closed its doors to students today, forcing

them to attend class elsewhere.

Air tests show a high presence of mold in the Livingston Avenue

School in Cranford, New Jersey.

Past history has taught us that mold can lead to respiratory

problems and can aggravate problems like bronchitis. But that is

what apparently happened with one teacher at the Livingston School.

And so, school officials have shut the school down before anyone

else comes down with respiratory symptoms.

Only staff members were allowed inside the school today, and only

to pick up teaching materials.

Lawrence Feinsod, PhD, Cranford Schools Superintendent: " I do not

want our teachers and students in the facility when I learned that

the mold levels were so high. "

Our cameras were not allowed inside the school. Mold tests, which

were apparently completed yesterday, showed high levels of mold in

the school's main office, a hallway near the main office, in the

library and in the gym.

" I just hope none of the kids health has been affected, " a parent

said.

But Livingston School teacher Dennis Connelly says he has been sick

since the end of last month, and says he is now recovering and

visited his doctor just today.

" And he said today this is the sickest I have ever been under his

treatment and he directly links it to the mold in the classroom, "

Connelly said.

Connelly is president of the Cranford Teachers Union, which has

received complaints of mold and respiratory problems at other

schools in the district.

" I'd advise teachers in other buildings ... with similar conditions

to please advise the administration. "

The school district has hired private firms to do further testing in

schools, and to solve any mold problems.

Meanwhile, this was an unexpected holiday for students like the

Halpin brothers.

" I need a day off sometimes ... a lot of times I need a day off, ya

know? " student n Halpin said.

The Livingston School is for grades 3, 4 and 5, and those students

will attend classes elsewhere for weeks.