School mold: Unfortunate problem being handled

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School mold: Unfortunate problem being handled

El Paso Times - El Paso,TX*

El Paso Times Staff

Article Launched: 08/16/2008 (opinion section of paper)

http://www.elpasotimes.com/opinion/ci_10217281

There's no doubt that mold buildup is a health concern, so it was

the obvious choice for Ysleta Independent School District trustees

to temporarily shutter Pebble Hills Elementary School.

More than 800 students are to be relocated when classes begin later

this month. It's unfortunate, but it's necessary.

Meanwhile, be slow to direct blame in anyone's direction. Mold is

virtually everywhere.

And when surfaces get wet or damp, mold spores grow. This is the

time of year El Paso gets wet and damp; it's our usual late-summer

rainy season. And we get mold.

In this specific case, an old, leaky roof caused wetness and

dampness inside Pebble Hills; it's a roof that had already been

scheduled for replacement.

According to a report from the National Clearinghouse for

Educational Facilities (www.edfacilities.org), there are ways to

battle mold before it becomes a problem.

The first step is to immediately respond to water leaks. Plug them.

In the Pebble Hills case, it has already been determined that the

roof should be replaced.

Obviously, use methods at hand to dry wet building materials. That

can be difficult up inside and under an old roof, as is the case in

the Pebble Hills situation.

Regularly inspect roofs, ceilings, walls, floors and carpeting.

Mold -- and it's virtually everywhere -- can cause illness. Mold

allergies can cause: coughing, nasal or sinus congestion, sneezing,

headache, shortness of breath, fatigue ... mold allergies make

people sick. In severe reactions to allergies caused by mold,

persons can die.

Ysleta officials handled this situation correctly. And to their

credit, plans had already been made to replace the old roof, the

cause of the water which was the cause for mold build-up.

It's unfortunate that some 212 of the younger-aged children will be

transferred to Glen Cove Elementary.

The same goes for some 600-plus students who will now be temporarily

educated at Parkland Elementary, probably for eight to 12 weeks.

Note that the district will provide transportation to both campuses.

YISD is in the process of inspecting other campuses for mold.

The district is handling its problem properly.