Roselawn teachers trust officials to protect them

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Roselawn teachers trust officials to protect them

April 14, 2002

By Sharlonda L. Waterhouse / Post-Tribune staff writer

ROSELAWN - Lincoln Elementary School teachers are coming to work every day,

despite possible health threats from water and mold problems.

Art Henderlong, UniServe director for teacher unions in northern Indiana,

said, " There is a problem with the water, possibly with the mold, but the

school corporation is taking proper action (by testing) to not put people at

risk. There's no need to panic. "

The school was found to have an excessively high percentage of gasoline

additive MtBE, a suspected carcinogen, in its well water, and possible mold

problems.

Harriet Scheidt, co-president of the Roselawn-area Teachers Union, works at

Lincoln and said the more than 40 teachers there are trusting school

officials to protect them and apprise them of new developments.

" Life is going on, " Scheidt said. " We believe the mold issue has been

rectified. If we didn't feel safe, we wouldn't still be teaching here. There

are no illnesses among the teachers. Four students were out ill, but that

was just from typical childhood problems. "

Union co-president Thrasher, a teacher at North Newton Junior-Senior

High School, said she is aware of one or two Lincoln teachers who've

complained of illness, but doesn't know if it's related to the school

environment.

" There are some concerns as I understand it and a meeting with (the

superintendent) is being arranged, " Thrasher said.

She said the controversy may have a negative effect on students. " This

involves small children and there's anxiety over what they're hearing at

home and in the community. If a child comes to school upset he's not going

to do well. "

Thrasher said she's concerned about the old age of the Lincoln building,

although she says it isn't dilapidated.

She said the school district is a victim in this situation and shouldn't be

seen as a cause of the problem, even though the school received results

showing high MtBE levels two years ago. Superintendent Louis Lindinger said

IDEM didn't " red flag " the results, so school officials weren't aware of a

problem.

School district attorney Dan McInernie said educators shouldn't carry the

burden of interpreting scientific data.

Ruth Ellen Hayworth, sanitarian of the Newton County Health Department,

toured Lincoln on Friday during indoor air quality testing conducted by the

state. She said the building will require some ventilation changes.

As for the water, Hayworth said uncertainty over the MtBE situation

initially sparked a decline in school attendance. She said as many as 60 to

80 students were absent on different days during the week.

But by Thursday, Hayworth said " There were only 32 (absent) out of more than

400 students.

" I've told families that if they are uneasy, discuss things with a family

physician or pediatrician. They are simply erring on the side of caution, "

she said.

Reach Reporter Sharlonda L. Waterhouse at 648-3107 or

swaterhouse@....