Update - Union: 'Mold Infestation' Found At School

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Union: 'Mold Infestation' Found At School

Click 2 Houston.com - Houston,TX*

October 16, 2007

http://www.click2houston.com/education/14354347/detail.html

HOUSTON -- A teacher's union called the mold problem at a northeast

Houston middle school an infestation that has created a toxic

situation, KPRC Local 2, Your Education Station, reported Tuesday.

More than dozen samples collected at Francis Key Middle

School, 4000 Kelley, tested positive for dangerous strains of mold,

according to Gayle Fallon, union president of the Houston Federation

of Teachers.

After some Key Middle School staff members, teachers and students

reported getting sick, the teacher's union decided to have its own

study of mold conducted on the school.

Samples were taken from classrooms, hallways and the air

conditioning unit.

The results, according to the union and the company that tested the

samples, were not good.

" If my home had this, I would be moving out and having it torn

down, " Fallon said.

Union member Corina Ortiz said she gathered samples after consulting

with the company, and sent them in for testing by Mouldworks.

The report indicated that 13 of the 15 samples showed stachybotrys,

penicillium and levels of other mold spores that can cause

respiratory and other health concerns.

" This is not a question of who's right and wrong. It's a matter of

what's morally correct, " Ortiz said.

" We're committed to finding out what's making them ill, " said Brad

of HISD risk management.

HISD and a mold expert hired by the district said it is not

disputing the presence of mold at Key Middle School.

But, Bob Gilmore of ICU Environmental Health and Safety said he does

question the amount and health impact allegedly uncovered by the

union's study.

" They only looked literally under a microscope at a very small

amount of information on a piece of scotch tape that was affixed to

a microscope slide and did not have the opportunity to look at the

entire school, " Gilmore said.

The union wants long-term health monitoring and care for HISD

employees and students.

HISD has stressed that its independent experts did not find unusual

levels of mold at Key.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also conducted its

own tests. That report has not yet been finished.

Previous Stories:

October 12, 2007: Protest Dwindles Outside Key Middle School

October 10, 2007: Walkout Canceled At Middle School

October 10, 2007: Community Leaders Plan Protest At Key Middle

School

September 28, 2007: CDC Finds Issues At Key Middle School

September 26, 2007: Middle Schools Merge While Campus Tested

September 21, 2007: Key Students, Staff Relocated To Fleming

September 21, 2007: Key MS Has History Of Humidity Problems

September 20, 2007: Key Middle School To Temporarily Close

September 19, 2007: Congresswoman Wants Everyone Out Of Key MS

September 15, 2007: Students: Mold At School Made Us Sick

September 12, 2007: More Teachers Sickened At Key Middle School

September 10, 2007: 2 Teachers Sickened At Key Middle School

September 4, 2007: Students Return To School Where Janitors Sickened

September 2, 2007: 7 Custodians Sickened While Cleaning School

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