Parents lose trust; Reassurance sought after tests for mould

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Parents lose trust; Reassurance sought after tests for mould

Sarnia Observer - Sarnia,ON,Canada

LINDSEY COAD

Local News - Monday, April 23, 2007

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Sarnia parents with children attending mould-affected schools say

they're losing confidence in the public school board. They have

requested test results from two of the many schools plagued by mould

concerns in recent months, but say the data is not forthcoming.

" It makes me feel very uncomfortable, " said Lansdowne School council

member Vicki Elipani.

She asked to see air quality results from her daughter's portable

classroom to be assured it's safe once a second mould cleanup is

concluded.

Mould was found behind the baseboards of the port-a-pac's hallway

after a second contractor was hired by the Lambton Kent District

School Board at the request of parents, including Elipani.

Elipani said she has lost trust because the invasive tests detected

mould after the portables were deemed safe last month. She was told

she can look at the reports with the principal, but she wants her

own copy.

She said her daughter and her peers have been complaining of

headaches.

Parent Tammy Kavangh said she asked a superintendent for a copy of

any reports about black mould found behind the wall in the Grades

7/8 portable classroom at High Park Public School.

" I'm really not happy with the situation. The communication is not

open here. I want to see their actions, " she said. Her eight-year-

old son is also complaining of headaches.

Kavangh said a school memo issued Monday provides no details about

the mould, which she wants to show her family doctor.

Her son's special education classroom, along with three other

classrooms, have been closed as a precaution and the students

relocated to the gym and library.

" We send our kids to school every day thinking that they're safe and

they're not, " Kavangh said.

Education director Gayle Stucke said copies of the mould report

aren't being released based on advice from the Ministry of Labour

and the Ministry of Health.

" It would not be meaningful to release reports to a person without

the scientific knowledge, " she said.

Anyone wishing to review the tests with explanation from the board's

consultant or a health and safety expert is welcome, she added.

Stucke said clearance testing will follow High Park's remediation

and students were expected to return soon.

Affected Lansdowne students have been at Devine Street since last

Thursday as crews replaced drywall in their port-a-pac. Those

students were expected to return Friday.

Stucke said there are acceptable levels of mould growth in the port-

a-pac with spore counts lower than outside.

Parent Cumming is concerned because Devine's gym, girls'

washroom and custodial rooms, were closed last month because of

mould.

Stucke said Devine was cleared following a cleanup over the March

Break, but Cumming remains doubtful. " We've been told that

Lansdowne's clean, " she said.

This year's mould problems at Lansdowne sparked frustrations from

parents who noted $100,000 in repairs were done in 2005.

" Portables aren't made to be permanent and they've made them

permanent, " Cumming said.

Teachers in the special education and native language portables

refused to return, despite previous clearance testing. They've been

teaching in the school and their portables were removed.

Parents want the entire port-a-pac torn down and a new addition

built.