Mold spores lurked behind walls at Marshall School

[Guest guest]

Mold spores lurked behind walls at Marshall School

Stockton Record - Stockton,CA*

By Machado

Record Staff Writer

July 07, 2007 6:00 AM

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20070707/A_NEWS/707070318/-1/A_NEWS

STOCKTON - Marshall Middle School has received a clean bill of

health following the recent discovery of mold behind lockers in

school hallways, but a handful of teachers fear the blackish stuff

may have been making them sick for years.

" It was work that was making me ill, " said teacher Schneider,

who claims the only time she was completely well in the last

academic year was during school breaks. Schneider has battled

multiple sinus infections and asthma in the last school year alone.

The mold had eaten into drywall behind lockers removed in June as

part of Marshall's conversion to a K-8 school. Steve Breakfield, a

Stockton Unified School District facilities planner, said the mold

likely developed through water from a leaky roof replaced in 2005.

It remains unclear whether the mold is linked to respiratory and

other health problems a handful of teachers say they've experienced.

Entek Consulting Group Inc. conducted air quality tests June 4 -

before the locker removal - in Schneider's classroom and that of a

teacher in an adjoining room whom Schneider said has been diagnosed

with occupational asthma.

The tests showed that mold spore levels in those rooms were well

below those outside the building. Entek concluded that no

significant mold sources existed inside those classrooms that might

create a health hazard for students or staff.

Tests after the removal and replacement of the moldy drywall showed

the mold was nontoxic, and spore levels were low in the former

locker areas.

But because no tests for mold spores were done before the cleanup,

it likely never will be known if those hallways posed any health

risk to the students and staff who walked them. Entek only tested

the two classrooms while the mold was present.

Schneider and several other teachers believe something has been

amiss at Marshall in recent years.

The teachers said they became concerned about their work environment

after major construction was done on the school during 2002 and 2003.

" Since they remodeled, there have been a lot of sick people, "

Schneider said.

The air was tested for asbestos during the remodeling but not for

mold, Breakfield said.

A spike in respiratory illnesses among the teachers occurred more

recently, said Eliyahu Rabin, executive director of the Stockton

Teachers Association.

" The teachers saw a marked deterioration beginning this year, " Rabin

said.

Teacher Steve Rapaport had pneumonia that lasted for two months, but

he said he doesn't believe the illness was caused by environmental

problems at the school.

Pat Morais, a Marshall teacher and Schneider's mother, said she had

a sinus infection and headache during the last month of the school

year, when construction workers demolished a bathroom near her

classroom.

" When I left school, the headaches went away, " she said.

Schneider refused to return in August to the classroom that she

believes during the last school year caused her to have seven or

eight sinus infections and bouts of asthma that left her struggling

to breathe.

But moving to a classroom in a different Marshall wing has not ended

her worries.

" I am concerned for the next teacher moving into that room, " she

said.

Contact reporter Machado at mmachado@....

[Guest guest]

Hi,

This school is located just 10 min. south of Lodi, CA

Where the " expert " said mold is not a health problem.

(Tokay High School)

Maybe, this reporter will do a story if they get a

copy

of what everyone sent to the other reporter in Lodi?

Would be worth a copy and paste.....

> Contact reporter Machado at

> mmachado@....

DeeAnn

--- tigerpaw2c <tigerpaw2c@...> wrote:

> Mold spores lurked behind walls at Marshall School

>

> Stockton Record - Stockton,CA*

> By Machado

> Record Staff Writer

> July 07, 2007 6:00 AM

>

> http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

> AID=/20070707/A_NEWS/707070318/-1/A_NEWS

>

> STOCKTON - Marshall Middle School has received a

> clean bill of

> health following the recent discovery of mold behind

> lockers in

> school hallways, but a handful of teachers fear the

> blackish stuff

> may have been making them sick for years.

>

> " It was work that was making me ill, " said teacher

> Schneider,

> who claims the only time she was completely well in

> the last

> academic year was during school breaks. Schneider

> has battled

> multiple sinus infections and asthma in the last

> school year alone.

>

> The mold had eaten into drywall behind lockers

> removed in June as

> part of Marshall's conversion to a K-8 school. Steve

> Breakfield, a

> Stockton Unified School District facilities planner,

> said the mold

> likely developed through water from a leaky roof

> replaced in 2005.

>

> It remains unclear whether the mold is linked to

> respiratory and

> other health problems a handful of teachers say

> they've experienced.

>

> Entek Consulting Group Inc. conducted air quality

> tests June 4 -

> before the locker removal - in Schneider's classroom

> and that of a

> teacher in an adjoining room whom Schneider said has

> been diagnosed

> with occupational asthma.

>

> The tests showed that mold spore levels in those

> rooms were well

> below those outside the building. Entek concluded

> that no

> significant mold sources existed inside those

> classrooms that might

> create a health hazard for students or staff.

>

> Tests after the removal and replacement of the moldy

> drywall showed

> the mold was nontoxic, and spore levels were low in

> the former

> locker areas.

>

> But because no tests for mold spores were done

> before the cleanup,

> it likely never will be known if those hallways

> posed any health

> risk to the students and staff who walked them.

> Entek only tested

> the two classrooms while the mold was present.

>

> Schneider and several other teachers believe

> something has been

> amiss at Marshall in recent years.

>

> The teachers said they became concerned about their

> work environment

> after major construction was done on the school

> during 2002 and 2003.

>

> " Since they remodeled, there have been a lot of sick

> people, "

> Schneider said.

>

> The air was tested for asbestos during the

> remodeling but not for

> mold, Breakfield said.

>

> A spike in respiratory illnesses among the teachers

> occurred more

> recently, said Eliyahu Rabin, executive director of

> the Stockton

> Teachers Association.

>

> " The teachers saw a marked deterioration beginning

> this year, " Rabin

> said.

>

> Teacher Steve Rapaport had pneumonia that lasted for

> two months, but

> he said he doesn't believe the illness was caused by

> environmental

> problems at the school.

>

> Pat Morais, a Marshall teacher and Schneider's

> mother, said she had

> a sinus infection and headache during the last month

> of the school

> year, when construction workers demolished a

> bathroom near her

> classroom.

>

> " When I left school, the headaches went away, " she

> said.

>

> Schneider refused to return in August to the

> classroom that she

> believes during the last school year caused her to

> have seven or

> eight sinus infections and bouts of asthma that left

> her struggling

> to breathe.

>

> But moving to a classroom in a different Marshall

> wing has not ended

> her worries.

>

> " I am concerned for the next teacher moving into

> that room, " she

> said.

>

>

>

>

>

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