Board could discuss mold

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Board could discuss mold

Plantation parents plan to attend meeting

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The Daily Advertiser - Lafayette,LA

Some Plantation Elemen-tary School parents are hoping for answers

tonight at a Lafayette Parish School Board meeting after the

district discovered a potentially harmful form of mold on campus.

Parents say two children from the school have tested positive for

exposure to toxins from the mold. The district tested three rooms on

campus at the urging of a family whose son had violent episodes of

vomiting, headaches, diarrhea and a suppressed immune system.

The district found high levels of a type of mold called

Stachybotrys, according to a district release that also stated the

levels " are of particular concern and may be posing an undue health

risk. "

Administrators said the room has gone through remediation and will

be closed until post clean-up test results are available. The

district issued a statement Monday telling parents that the school

is safe. But some parents aren't ready to send their children back

on campus before more testing is complete.

School board members must vote to approve testing the entire school.

Board member Hunter Beasley said he will try to add it to tonight's

agenda, which will require a two-thirds vote by the board.

Edwin , who has two children at the school on Kaliste Saloom

Road, said they didn't go to school Tuesday and may not again

Wednesday.

" We are debating that right now, " he said. " We're talking to the

children's teachers, and we may try to send them a few times a week

to see how it goes. "

Beth Belsom is another parent who is taking the situation one day at

a time. On Tuesday, she kept her two daughters home from school. She

doesn't know when they'll go back.

" We just have to take it day by day, " she said.