Bayonne's M. School - Mold in school sparks concern

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Mold in school sparks concern

05/06/02

By Jeff Theodore

Journal staff writer

Several parents of youngsters who attend Bayonne's M. School on

West 10th Street say they're outraged that school officials didn't tell them

about mold spores sprouting up in several areas of a new $1 million addition

at the school.

The parents say it wasn't until they received anonymous letters last

Thursday in their home mailboxes that they learned about the situation.

" I'm very upset because I think the school should have told us, " said

Wojtkowski, mother of a five-year-old boy who attends the school, which

enrolls kindergartners through eighth graders. " I want to make sure my kid

and all the others there are safe. I don't want to see those children sick. "

Clifford Doll, business administrator for Bayonne schools, said the city's

health department has conducted two inspections at the school - one last

Thursday and another the week before. The school has received a clean bill

of health, he said.

" We cleaned all the walls with a solution of bleach and water, put seals on

bricks inside and outside the building, and waterproofed and caulked certain

spots, " Doll said.

Health department officials, he added, didn't test the mold spores because

they were not hazardous.

" There is a seepage of moisture coming into the building partially because

it is beneath ground level, " Doll said. " The (mold spores) are appearing

because of the recent rain we've had. "

Health department officials did not return calls seeking comment last week.

Costello, the principal at the school, was not there late last week

and couldn't be reached for comment.

The anonymous letter distributed to parents suggested that the school and

district have been trying to cover up concerns over the mold problem.

The letter also states that one room in the eight-room addition was deemed

off limits by Principal Costello because of severe water damage. Doll,

however, said the room has been closed because contractors for the building,

Cobra Construction of North Arlington, are working to fix a leak inside.

Doll insisted that there is nothing structurally wrong with the building's

addition, which opened in September.

" While this addition was under construction we had it checked and

double-checked, " Doll said. " This isn't a structural problem at all. "

But parents are still skeptical.

" I'm not an engineer, but I believe that water damage can eat away at the

foundation of a building, " Wojtkowski said. " And I'm not going to stop

barking until something more is done. I could see if this was happening in

an old building but this place is brand new. They should strip the paint

away and find out what's causing these leaks because problems like that

shouldn't be happening. "

Another parent, who requested anonymity, said she was concerned because mold

is prone to cause illnesses ranging from asthma to allergies.

" There are enough illnesses out there for our children to catch, " the parent

said. " We pay enough in taxes not to have faulty construction in our

schools. I question whether our kids are safe in this building. "

Doll said that school officials didn't alert parents because they were

following the school district's standard operating procedure. The district,

however, sent letters out to parents Friday in response to the anonymous

ones parents received Thursday.

" At all of our schools, we clean up problems when they're brought to our

attention, " Doll said. " We don't write notes to parents every time we do

something. "

He added that custodians at the school will monitor the mold daily in an

effort to stunt its growth.

" It's a high priority, " Doll said. " Just like you'd do at home, we will stay

on top of it. "