Parents anxious as mould leads to La Scie school closure

[Guest guest]

Parents anxious as mould leads to La Scie school closure

Friday, March 7, 2008

CBC - Newfoundland & Labrador - St. 's,Newfoundland and

Labrador,Canada*

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundlandlabrador/story/2008/03/07/lascie

-school.html

Education officials have closed a school in northeastern

Newfoundland, with parents saying they are furious that their

children had been exposed to mould.

Hillside Elementary in La Scie was closed indefinitely on Thursday

after parents were told the school has serious air quality problems.

Testing found mould in at least three rooms.

Kim Morey, who heads a parents' association, said the school

literally stinks and is plagued with problems, including a leaky

roof.

" The kids are sick — stuffy nose, burning eyes, headaches, upset

stomachs, " said Morey. " It's all signs of toxic fumes in schools. "

Parents told CBC News that they have complained for years about the

school, which closed briefly last month while officials dealt with

leaks.

Parent said she wants to know exactly when the Nova

Central School District discovered the problem. brought her

daughter to a special breakfast at the school on Wednesday morning,

hours before students brought home letters about the closure order.

" As a parent you kind of think, that's the kids just wanting to come

home or whatever, but when you get a letter saying it's too toxic

and the school will have to be shut down…. That's not good enough, "

she said.

" They're eating in a toxic environment. "

'Alternate arrangements'

Cleanup work at the school started Friday morning.

Fleet, the director of the school district board, admits it

could be weeks before children can return to the building.

" In order to get this work done, and have people away from that

workspace, we'll make alternate arrangements, " said Fleet, adding

the board is prepared to work around the clock to get the problem

fixed.

Morey, though, said many parents are skeptical about whether that

will be enough.

" You can't put those kids back in the school here, with toxins in

that school, " Morey said. " That's diddly. "

Mould has caused serious problems at several schools in Newfoundland

and Labrador. Paradise Elementary, outside St. 's, was closed

permanently last year.

Over the last two school years, mould has caused temporary closures

in St. 's, Corner Brook, Western Bay, Upper Island Cove and

Conne River.