Teacher says mold growing in portable classroom made her sick

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Teacher says mold growing in portable classroom made her sick

by Cheryl Caswell

Daily Mail - ton - ton,WV

http://www.dailymail.com/story/News/+/2006121318/Teacher-says-mold-

growing-in-portable-classroom-made-her-sick/

Print StoryEmail StoryA Point Harmony Elementary School teacher has

filed a lawsuit against the Kanawha County school board because she

says the mold growing in a portable classroom made her sick.

ann Nichols, a second grade teacher at the Cross Lanes school,

contends in her lawsuit that she was exposed to poor indoor air

quality and mold on a recurrent basis and school officials did not

take corrective actions to provide a safe work environment.

As a result, she has suffered disease, pain and suffering, financial

loss and emotional distress, the complaint says. She says she will

require future medical care and testing to monitor the presence of

illness caused by the mold.

In March, the school board decided to remove four aging portable

classrooms at the school because of complaints and relocate those

teachers and students to the main school building.

Nichols says because the board destroyed, moved or disposed of the

classroom she was teaching in, it prevented her from proving the

presence of mold.

The board took the action knowing she intended to file a lawsuit,

she said.

In January, inspectors from the Kanawha-ton Health Department

and the state Department of Health and Human Resources checked the

portable classroom for mold after teachers said they had breathing

problems. Some cleaning and repairs were done, but Nichols continued

to contend there was mold growing in and under the building that was

causing her to be sick.

Nichols, who has worked at the school for nearly eight years, went

before the school board and detailed her health problems that she

believes resulted from teaching in the room -- asthma and allergies

that have required extensive medication and treatments.

She showed board members a piece of mold-covered insulation that

came from beneath the portable classroom. The portables were added

to the school in 1977.

A student teacher complained of headaches while teaching in the

room, and concerned Point Harmony parents met with inspectors at the

school in January.

The suit was filed Dec. 8 in Kanawha Circuit Court. Nichols is being

represented by attorney .

Contact writer Cheryl Caswell at cherylc@... or 348