Some parents claim elementary school is filled with asbestos, mold, mildew

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Some parents claim elementary school is filled with asbestos, mold,

mildew

Monday, August 11, 2008

WHAS 11.com - Louisville,KY*

http://www.whas11.com/topstories/stories/whas11_localnews_080811_scho

olmoldmilcdew.39072e2e.html

(WHAS11) - Parents are upset over what they're calling " unacceptable

conditions " at one Kentuckiana school. They say County

Elementary School is filled with asbestos, mold and mildew and they

say it's making their children sick.

" Currently, my son has the sniffles, the coughs, the sore throat, "

said concerned parent Kim Lawson.

She says this happens to her son only when he attends school at

County Elementary. Another parent says her child has the same

symptoms.

Watch this story

" When's she's out of school, she's okay. But when she goes back to

school, it starts back on day one, " she said anonymously.

Both parents say it's because County Elementary has a major

mold and mildew problem.

" When you see green slime on the walls… it's mold. And when you see

black mold behind the file cabinets, you know there's a problem, "

said Lawson.

" At the beginning of the year they paint over the mold. And by the

end of the year, it's eating through the paint, " said the anonymous

concerned parent. " I want to know why every classroom has an air

purifier in it and why the teachers are sick all the time. "

" We had an outside engineering company come out and the company gave

us a clean bill of health concerning mold and mildew, " said

Superintendent Seaborne.

Superintendent Seaborne says County Elementary has the

best attendance rate of the district – with no indication teachers

and students are often sick.

But the Lake Cumberland Health Department says their files indicate

County Elementary has a mold problem at the beginning of

almost every year – but it's soon fixed.

These parents also say with 25-30 students per teacher, the school's

overcrowded.

" In this school, there's close to the maximum requirement of

students to teachers, and in some classes we're over. But in the

Kindergarten classes, we'll well under. Most KY schools are that way

because of the budgets, " the superintendent explained.

Still Seaborne says KDE has told him Co. Elementary has room

for 156 additional students.

Because of our call, the health department will inspect the school

for mold Tuesday morning.

" I just wan the school fixed, I want our kids healthy, " said Lawson.

If you are a concerned parent or teacher and would like to respond

to na's story, she would like to hear from you. Email her at

adrianna.hopkins@...