Portable Classroom Mold Worries Parents

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Portable Classroom Mold Worries Parents

Lawrence County Schools Use At Least 19 Portable Classrooms

WSMV - Nashville,TN*

Reported By Catharyn

August 4, 2008

http://www.wsmv.com/news/17092575/detail.html

LAWRENCEBURG, Tenn. -- Some Lawrence County parents said they are

concerned about the safety of their children's school.

Video: Mold In Portable Classrooms Concerns Parents

Parents said they are worried about a potential health hazard caused

by mold in some of the county's portable classrooms.

The portable classrooms were brought into use about 20 years ago as

a temporary fix to relieve overcrowding.

Over time, water has seeped through cracks and caused some

structural damage, and parents have been worried for some time about

the possible existence of mold.

Underneath the wallpaper in at least one of the classrooms, Channel

4's Catharyn found mold.

In 2007, school administrators said a massive cleanup was done but

the mold is now worse than it was, officials said.

At South Lawrence Elementary, there are 12 portable units, five of

which have tested positive for extreme levels of mold.

School officials said they want to shut the units down and a number

of parents said their children have gotten sick from attending class

in the portables.

" Absolutely they are unhealthy. I wouldn't put an animal in them, "

said County Commissioner .

One parent said her child was very sick.

" She was on five medications just to come to school. And during the

spring break, when she was out of school, she got better, and as

soon as she went back to school, it started again, " said parent Kim

McMasters.

In addition to the 12 units at South Lawrence, school officials said

they want to dispose of nine other units at New Prospect Elementary.

Officials said they are hoping to use money from an increase in a

wheel tax to make improvements to the schools.

A meeting was set with school administrators and parents for Monday

night to discuss the schools' problem.

A portable classroom distributor said the portable classroom

buildings often need the roofs sealed every three to five years and

that if leaks are not taken care of quickly, they can cause major

problems.

The representative said it's not unusual for a portable to still be

in use after 10 or 20 years if it hasn't been moved around a lot.

on County schools have two portable buildings that are 20

years old.