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Teacher taught at Good Shepherd Catholic School in Perryville for a dozen years before she was hospitalized due to school mold, according to her physician, that was vigorously denied by the school, even when multiple staff fell ill - and one died.
Mold Issue a Focus (at Good Shepherd Catholic School in Perryville, MD)
Mold is not only a serious issue for public schools. On a regular basis, SMH is contacted about mold in parochial
schools, where, as with public schools, funding often is not readily available for the upkeep of aging buildings. In
addition, volunteers may be utilized more often. Parents really need to carefully check the condition of facilities they
place their children in (for moisture problems and cleanliness, especially) - and learn the history of the building's
occupants: have they been noticeably ill?
The following is a news article about a parochial school, Good Shepherd Catholic School, in Perryville, Maryland
that has had ongoing mold problems, according to sources, stemming from a myriad of leaks and poor
housekeeping, seen over the past decade. The Center for School Mold Help had contacted the Bishop for this
archdiocese about the mold problems in this school last year, some testing has been conducted, and these show
significant amounts of mold and bacteria growing in some parts of the building, including some described as
potentially toxigenic and pathogenic types.
The school is still in full operation, though as recently as November, 2005, a mold inspection report showed high
levels of dangerous molds under the floor of a hallway and including the HVAC (heating, air conditioning and
ventilating) system. It is unknown why the local Health Dept. found no problems, though this is often the case with
Health Dept's nationwide, as they rarely are trained or have the equipment to find mold problems. Reportedly, some
more work is being done on the school during Easter Break. Both parents and teachers report significant illnesses at
the school, including bloody noses, high fevers, difficult-to-diagnose conditions. Parents need to be aware of the
seriousness of fungal colonizations of a school building - and that tests show significant problems. SMH thinks the full
test data and full, not partial, past (three) reports should be shared openly with parents, by the school, in order to
inform them about past, and potentially present, exposures. Two teachers have been diagnosed with very serious
health conditions, and according to their physicians these are due to the school. It is to Good Shepherd's credit that
they are starting to address the mold by attempting to remediate, area by area - and we hope they follow EPA
guidelines (or higher), in order to prevent further contamination.
Mold remediation that is conducted in any school should be carried out, as with asbestos removal, with the highest
level of protection for the workers and the occupants (who should not be present), using full containment and
negative air, by professionally trained remediators, with full clearance testing afterward, by a reputable company.
The use of volunteers or unskilled laborers is dangerous to the occupants and to the workers. Parents in any school
where mold is being remediated should make sure they learn exactly how mold should be remediated (see our
Remediation page) and how it is being conducted at their school. In many cases, according to the literature, if
conducted unprofessionally, the exposure can become worse - due to the disturbance of the mold colonies, which
then send out spores and mycotoxins in exponential amounts, thus contaminating more areas and causing much
higher degrees of illness and even, death, in some instances. This is the mistake many schools make.
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The Record
Homestead Publishing Company
10 Hays Street
BelAir, MD 21014
Friday, April 7, 2006
Mold Issue a Focus
By Katie Bennett
410-838-0614 ext.197
Susan Rollins taught at Good Shepherd Catholic School in Perryville for a dozen years before she was hospitalized
in 2003 with what seemed to be heart attack symptoms. She subsequently resigned.
When it was discovered her heart was in perfect health, Rollins searched for other answers. She was eventually
diagnosed with a very serious mold-related illness – one she is certain she contracted from unhealthy conditions at
the school.
School and Cecil County Health Department officials believe the school had a mold problem that has been corrected.
While they acknowledge mold has been found in the school, environmental consultants said this week the problem
has been cleaned up and the school is safe.
“We have not found any problem there with mold,” said Chuck Smyser, Director of the Environmental Health Division
at the Cecil County Health Department.
He explained they received a call from an elected official, who had received complaints from many parents, to
inspect the school.
An environmental consultant went to Good Shepherd Catholic School and recommended they make some changes
to clean up any possible mold problems. The report from the consultant said there was mold underneath the floor,
but it was cleaned up, according to Smyser.
“Basically, they cleaned up what they were told,” he said.
More than two years later, however, despite the school’s clean bill of health from environmental consultants, Rollins
said another teacher has fallen ill, as have other students.
June DelCostello pulled both her daughters out of Good Shepherd because of the mold. She said one of her
daughters, who was in fifth grade at the time, kept getting bronchitis, which eventually led to asthma.
“It got to the point where she just couldn’t go into the building anymore,” DelCostello said.
Her other daughter was experiencing constant runny and bloody noses, as were many other kids at the school,
according to DelCostello.
Finally, she pulled both of her daughters out of Good Shepherd.
“I’m just not gonna send my daughter to a building, where she can’t breathe, “ DelCostello said.
It’s two years since they were removed from Good Shepherd and both of her daughters are fine and their previous
symptoms have ceased, she said, DelCostello said before she pulled her girls out, she went to the principal, but he
did not want to hear what she had to say.
“The principal told me Maria was faking it,” DelCostello said.
Health department officials went to the school and did a visual inspection to make sure everything was fixed, which
it was, Smyser confirmed.
“Mold is everywhere. People are allergic to different things and mold can be one of them,” he said.
Smyser explained Good Shepherd Catholic School did have mold, as do most other places, but as far as the health
department can see it is not a huge problem.
Rollins believes the school is trying to keep the mold issue as low-key as possible, not because it’s not a serious
health issue, but rather because it’s an expensive repair.
“Most of it is kept quiet because it would cost thousands of dollars to fix anything.” She said.
A meeting on the mold issue was recently held only for parents of students at the school, Rollins said. No outsiders
were allowed in.
”The bottom line is money,” she said.
That’s a sentiment not shared by all Good Shepherd and Cecil County Health Department officials. |
