Schools falling apart: Leaky roofs, mold, rotting wood, poor air quality

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Schools falling apart: Leaky roofs, mold, rotting wood, poor air

quality

MetroWest Daily News - Framingham,MA*

By Don Conkey

The Patriot Ledger

Posted Oct 06, 2008

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/state/x1272961212/Schools-falling-

apart-Leaky-roofs-mold-rotting-wood-poor-air-quality

Superintendents in 12 South Shore school districts have admitted

that 34 schools under their charge have grave structural and

mechanical problems " seriously jeopardizing the health and safety "

of thousands of students.

Not only haven't school administrators hid this assertion, they've

publicized it to try to get funding from the state. In " statements

of interest " to the Massachusetts School Building Authority, they

labeled their projects as " Priority 1. " By so doing, they stated

that all or part of these academic buildings were " structurally

unsound or otherwise, " with conditions so bad that they threatened

the well-being of those unlucky enough to work or learn inside of

them.

The problems in these schools run the gamut from ungrounded

electrical sockets in Braintree to asbestos in Stoughton. Poor air

ventilation is one of the most pervasive concerns as are plumbing

problems and infestations of mold.

It's common for temperatures to vary widely, from classroom to

classroom. Students and teachers in many schools – like the 13 local

ones identified in " statements of interest " filed with the state –

often must work around buckets placed on the floor and by windows to

catch leaking rain water.

The building authority received a flood of requests last year from

communities in need of upgrading crumbling schools, ending a five-

year moratorium on state funding.

" I'm not surprised at all that there are that many schools, "

Rockland School Superintendent Retchless said. " Gov. (Mitt)

Romney reduced local aid in 2003, and schools have been under funded

since then. "

Rockland is one of the lucky ones, on track to get funding for

Middle School; if all goes to plan, its replacement could

open in 2012. The money came after school administrators laid out

its problems – from decaying walls to out-of-code exhaust systems to

persistent leaks – in detail.

" The bottom line is that the (School Building Authority) identified

83 school districts " to fund, said Retchless, justifying the move to

hold nothing back in stating the school's problems. " You're going to

get one kick at the can. "

Yet many schools with pressing structural and safety concerns did

not get a share of the funding pie. Thus, they are left with a bleak

public record of the dangers in their schools – buildings that,

despite such problems, still house students every day.

And, while no decisions have been made, the prospects of them

getting future funding seems increasingly tenuous, given sagging tax

revenues and a slow economy.

Gov. Deval said Thursday that state revenues were $223

million behind projections in the first quarter of the state's

fiscal year, prompting a wave of immediate budget cuts.

" I believe they are a signal of worse news ahead, " he said. " As

disruptive as these actions may be, the circumstances demand action. "

Don Conkey may be reached at dconkey@....