New elementary school in Seattle shut down; making kids sick (Video)

[Guest guest]

'Sick building syndrome?': New elementary school in Seattle shut down; making

kids sick (Video)

http://www.examiner.com/x-34328-Seattle-Headlines-Examiner~y2010m4d18-Sick-build\

ing-syndrome-New-elementary-school-in-Seattle-shut-down-making-kids-sick-Video

April 18, 2010 - Students and teachers have become ill inside a beautiful new

school building that just opened last September - South Shore, an elementary

school serving students PreK-8 - and officials don't know why yet.

The problem was so widespread that teachers threatened to hold their classes

outside.

Finally, district officials decided to shut the school down as a precautionary

measure while tests are run to try and determine what has caused so many people

to suffer from headaches, nausea, sore throats, stinging in their eyes, etc.

" The superintendent decided as a precautionary measure to close the school and

move the students, " said Patti Spencer, Seattle Public Schools spokeswoman.

Parents and teachers are angry it took the district months to do anything about

it.

KING 5 News reported that in recent weeks, more and more people are reportedly

experiencing the same symptoms.

According to one girl's mother, doctors have not been able to diagnose

12-year-old Hannah Trybjorn's illness.

" My head hurts, I feel like I'm going to throw up, " said Hannah.

" Stinging in their eyes, burning in the backs of their throats, they all had

headaches, " said her mother, Dawn Trybjorn.

Officials believe the answer may be in the flooring system - concrete, adhesive,

and carpeting.

" What we are examining most closely at this time is the flooring system, that

includes the concrete, the adhesive and the carpet, " said Spencer.

South Shore students will stay home until district officials secure an

alternative location to hold classes until the end of the school year.

Transportation will be provided.

" We will absolutely provide transportation to that location, " said Spencer.

Many parents are supportive of the district's decision. They're just frustrated

it took months to respond to the problem.

" I feel much safer that my child is not going to be in here, " said Trybjorn.

District officials plan to notify parents of that new location by Monday night.

They also plan to send a survey to families to find out how widespread the

problems are.

The school website reads:

On Friday April 16 Superintendent Goodloe- announced that she is closing

South Shore School as a precautionary measure while the school district

continues to investigate the source of odors at the PreK-8 school. Families will

need to make alternative arrangements for their children beginning Monday, April

19 through Friday, April 23. Kids Co. daycare at South Shore will also be

closed.

" I made the decision to close South Shore because there are too many unanswered

questions about the source of the odor in the building, " said Dr.

Goodloe-. " This is a precautionary measure to continue to ensure the

safety and welfare of all students and staff. "

The district has been conducting numerous air quality and other tests since the

odors were first detected at South Shore in late January, but has not yet been

able to determine their source.

Seattle Public Schools leaders are also consulting with national and local

experts, including public health and pediatric environmental health officials,

and will share results of testing with these agencies as they become available.

A plan is being developed to comfortably house students and staff in a temporary

location in Southeast Seattle, with the goal of having classes start on Monday,

April 25. We expect to serve students at that temporary location through the end

of the school year.

The district will provide updates to families and staff as new information is

available, and a Web site dedicated to this situation will be created by the end

of next week. The Web site will include updates, test results, and other

information as needed. Meantime, brief updates are available at

www.seattleschools.org - click on " South Shore Update " on the main page.

If families have any additional concerns about symptoms they are experiencing,

we recommend they contact their health care provider. Families who need help

finding a doctor can call the Community Health Access Program (CHAP)at

206-284-0331 or 1-800-756-5437.

Comments welcome below.

Source:

KING 5 News

[Guest guest]

what's amazing is that everyone is so " mystified " about what might be

causing the problems, as if it isn't common knowledge how toxic new

building materials and methods are in this country, with healthy

materials and methods always set aside in favor of cheapest, faster,

longest lasting etc.

sue

>'Sick building syndrome?': New elementary school in Seattle shut down;

>making kids sick (Video)

>

>http://www.examiner.com/x-34328-Seattle-Headlines-Examiner~y2010m4d18-Sick-buil\

ding-syndrome-New-elementary-school-in-Seattle-shut-down-making-kids-sick-Video

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Suppose it was built with chinese sheetrock? I met a family here in Dallas that

all got ill from a new home and it was built with the chinese sheetrock and had

similar symptoms. D

>

> 'Sick building syndrome?': New elementary school in Seattle shut down; making

kids sick (Video)

>

>

http://www.examiner.com/x-34328-Seattle-Headlines-Examiner~y2010m4d18-Sick-build\

ing-syndrome-New-elementary-school-in-Seattle-shut-down-making-kids-sick-Video

>

>

> April 18, 2010 - Students and teachers have become ill inside a beautiful new

school building that just opened last September - South Shore, an elementary

school serving students PreK-8 - and officials don't know why yet.

>

> The problem was