Mould in 1900s school sickens students

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Mould in 1900s school sickens students

The Province - Vancouver,BC,Canada*

: Parents Canwest News Service

Published: Tuesday, January 29, 2008

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=24b3834e-b410-

480f-9fee-5a5da47a6e7b

ENDERBY -- Many parents are pulling their children from the local

elementary school because the aging building is home to both mould

and asbestos.

Parents say the 250 children attending M.V. Beattie are getting very

sick, and they're demanding something be done.

" We have a student absentee rate of anywhere from 30 to 60 per cent

above the district average, " said Gallagher of the Parents

Action Committee.

The school was built in the early 1900s. Gallagher said every spring

the basement floods, leaving a stagnant pool of water that has

spawned mould.

The parents action committee said that since 2000, six staff members

have been diagnosed with cancer. The school's principal, Carl

, said he's not sure why so many students are getting sick.