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Hourly Update
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/203396.php
Some Collier Elementary parents say mold to blame for kids' illnesses
By Jamar Younger
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 09.27.2007
A group of Collier Elementary School students is suffering from sore throats, hacking coughs and runny noses, and their parents say the symptoms are caused by a mold problem in their classroom.
At least four parents with children in Kari Ewen’s kindergarten class have claimed the classroom poses a hazard to their children, and Ewen has complained directly to Superintendent Roger Pfeuffer and other district officials.
The school district’s risk management and environmental services department has conducted a series of tests that checked the air for mold spores and concluded that there was not enough to cause a danger to students, said department director Lauren Eib.
The district hired an environmental consultant to analyze the district’s test results and conduct his own tests, Eib said.
School and district officials held a meeting on Sept.18 at the school, located at 3900 North Bear Canyon Road, to address parents’ concerns.
Despite the district’s effort to find and eradicate what parents say is a problem, parents are still upset.
“It’s all risk management. They’re not there for the kids’ health, but to see how much it’s going to cost,” said parent Kim Thompson.
Thompson said her 5-year-old daughter has missed five days of school this year because of coughing, a sore throat and other allergy symptoms.
Thompson has talked with school and district officials and sent a letter on Sept. 4 addressed to the principal, superintendent and risk-management department, she said.
Thompson’s doctor confirmed that her daughter’s allergies are mold-related, she said.
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For the rest of this story, read tomorrow’s Arizona Daily Star or log on to www.azstarnet.com Friday.
Some Collier Elementary parents say mold to blame for kids' illnesses
A group of Collier Elementary School students is suffering from sore throats, hacking coughs and runny noses, and their parents say the symptoms are caused by a mold problem in their classroom — which the district denies.
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1. Comment by jerry l. (#4934) — September 27,2007 @ 8:51PM
Rating: 1 Thumb Up
I'd check the homes where these kids live for mold. Check where they sleep, where they eat, and where they watch 4.2 hours of television a day. Check what they eat at home. Check their pets, the chlorine level in their pools, the chemicals in their grass, and the pesticide in their carpet. Check the detergent in their laundry and the wheat gluten in their bread.
The mold at the school has already been checked.
3. Comment by Susan B. (NoMoreSchoolMold) — September 27,2007 @ 10:44PM
Rating: 1 Thumb Up
As Executive Director of an educational nonprofit, The Center for School Mold Help (SMH), I would like to offer our extensive resources for all those concerned about mold in your local schools. Our website is located at www.schoolmoldhelp.org.
4. Comment by christi h. (disabledteacher2) — September 27,2007 @ 11:14PM
Rating: 1 Thumbs Up
Parents are correct. Risk management is there to do exactly what parents state...ignore human health complaints and protect the district from potential lawsuits.Of course they will state things are safe. The air at Ground O was safe, right? The FEMA trailers were safe right? In my class students were flushing, burning, and breaking out in hives ONLY at school, not at their homes. When I called risk management I was told that the principal decides whether or not to close the room. She never did, the nurse never documented the students that came to her ill, and OSHA told me they couldn't document the mold he found, nor were they allowed to test it. Told me it was "political."
EPA told me that our district was trained in indoor air quality issues.
I am now disabled from my exposures after a successful long career, and would encourage parents to ask for an accommodation for their children. All children/teachers deserve to be in a mold free, chemical free learning environment. Students cannot focus when they are reacting to toxic environmental hazards!Homeschooling is also a great option!
Tucson Region
Parents, kids say classroom mold sickens
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/203517.php
TUSD says Collier Elementary air is OK; more tests being conducted
By Jamar Younger
arizona daily star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 09.28.2007
advertisementA group of Collier Elementary School students is suffering from sore throats, hacking coughs and runny noses, and their parents say the symptoms are caused by a mold problem in their classroom.
At least four parents with children in Kari Ewen's kindergar-ten class have claimed the classroom poses a hazard to their children, and Ewen has complained to Superintendent Roger Pfeuffer and other district officials.
The school district's risk-management and environmental services department has conducted a series of tests that checked the air for mold spores and concluded that there was not enough to cause a danger to students, said department Director Lauren Eib.
The district has since hired an environmental consultant to analyze the district's test results and conduct his own tests, which are going on now, Eib said.
School and district officials held a meeting on Sept.18 at the school, at 3900 North Bear Canyon Road, to address parents' concerns.
Despite the district's effort to find and eradicate what parents say is a problem, parents are still upset.
"It's all risk management. They're not there for the kids' health, but to see how much it's going to cost," said parent Kim Thompson.
Thompson said her 5-year-old daughter has missed five days of school this year because of coughing, a sore throat and other allergy symptoms.
Thompson has talked with school and district officials and sent a letter on Sept. 4 addressed to the principal, superintendent and risk-management department, she said.
Thompson's doctor confirmed that her daughter's allergies are mold-related, she said.
The allergies have now turned into asthma. "She never went through this at home," Thompson said.
Ewen said she complained that there was mold in the classroom before the school year began.
"I went to the principal, human resources. I told five different people," she said. "I told them it was an emergency."
The risk-management office went to the school to conduct testing on Aug. 13 and concluded that there was not a sizable level of mold at the school. Her students, however, were still coughing, Ewen said.
"I said I want a better test, and people to get out here and take apart the ceilings," she said.
Most of her 16 students have suffered from excessive coughing this year, she said.
Ewen, who was hired this year, was placed on indefinite paid administrative leave on Sept. 17 for behaving unprofessionally, she said, presumably for complaining about what she says is a mold problem.
The decision to place Ewen on leave was unrelated to the claims she made about mold in her classroom, said district spokeswoman Chyrl Hill Lander.
Lander would not give any other details about Ewen's leave.
Ewen said she has had allergic reactions caused by the mold. "My hands had red and white spots by the end of the day," she said.
She also suffered from headaches and severe coughing, she said.
The school district's risk-management and environmental services department heard about the mold complaint and responded on the same day, Eib said.
"We went out to check for visible signs of damage, but, because of the level of concern, we did air sampling," she said.
The air quality inside the classroom was better than the outside air quality, she said.
"If the inside air is the same or better, then it's OK," she said.
Eib hired an industrial hygienist to analyze the district's test results because she did not believe the parents trusted the district's test, she said.
The industrial hygienist set up a monitor last week that will check for contaminants that are difficult to find and measures the efficiency of the ventilation system.
The classroom had some flooding in January after a pipe burst in the ceiling, but restoration teams cleaned the room and there was no evidence of mold growth, said Brian Gladhart, president of Briter Environmental and Chemical Consultants Inc..
Last week, Gladhart checked the area where the flood damage had occurred and set up the monitor.
The monitor will be in the classroom for at least a week, he said.
Mold symptoms can vary among people, but can include coughing, worsening asthma and a runny nose, said Dr. Randy Horwitz, an allergist at the University of Arizona.
"I have seen people with mild exposures get fatigue and headaches," said Horwitz, who is medical director of the program in integrative medicine at the UA.
Amy Bocage, a parent volunteer in the kindergarten class, said she has had a sore throat, swollen glands and asthma symptoms since the school year began.
Bocage's son has had chest pains and a sore throat, she said.
"He coughs so hard his face turns red," she said.
Bocage asked her doctor for a referral so she could take her son to see an allergist, she said.
Her son missed about four days in a two-week period, she said.
"I don't even want to send him to school."
● Contact reporter Jamar Younger at 434-4076 or jyounger @azstarnet.com.
1. Comment by Jose J. (#2238) — September 28,2007 @ 5:19AM
Kids get sick, but because a pipe burst, the parents blame mold. And refuse to believe the air quality test.
2. Comment by Ron J. (ronjon) — September 28,2007 @ 6:50AM
Rating: 1 Thumb Down
The last TUSD school that had mold problems has been bulldozed. (Ft Lowell/Alvernon)
3. Comment by Ron J. (ronjon) — September 28,2007 @ 9:06AM
Rating: 0 Thumbs Up
They also need to check what chemicals were used as the anti microbal. The mold test levels may be fine, but.....
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