BARNSTABLE, MASS. (WHDH) - Courtney Dalomba was horrified by pictures of mold that were taken inside Barnstable United Elementary School.
She felt she had to join forces with other concerned parents to protest classroom conditions, saying, “It makes me sick to my stomach.”
Gillian Tusko, parent of a 5th grader at the school, said, “A lot of these pictures were sent to me by staff, and that to me is very concerning that the staff are anonymously, sending pictures and reaching out to parents to help them.
Some parents found out about the problem this summer, when the school closed for a $500,000 mold cleanup project. Several parents are worried their children’s coughing and wheezing might be the result of the classroom conditions.
Brittney Burt, a parent of a 5th grader, said, “We’re going to get him tested for mold allergies, and if those are elevated, I have no other choice as a mom but to pull him out of that schools.”
Fifth-grader Jeffrey Moller said, “We want it to be cleaner and safer for us to learn.”
In August, a state report revealed water damage in the school and blamed HVAC issues for the mold growth. The state “strongly recommended not operating this HVAC system in chilling mode” until it can be used safely.
7 Investigates found this wasn’t the first time the state found mold in the building. A 2019 air quality report showed water-damaged ceilings and mold growing on books and chairs.
A former teacher at the school reported the conditions.
Former BUES teach Erin Farrow said, “As much as I don’t love to be in the spotlight to do this, I just feel like I have to. It’s the guilt that is sitting with me to know that there are other people getting sick.”
For a long time, Farrow thought she was the only one struggling to breathe at the school.
“I was scared I didn’t know what was happening. I didn’t know why I kept getting so sick. The fatigue was really taking over,” she said.
Concerned parents now want a new HVAC system for the school.
Burt says “the fact that in 2019 that wasn’t replaced …. is not OK with us parents.”
Barnstable’s Superintendent of Schools tells 7NEWS the school is safe after recent clean-up efforts, repairs to the HVAC system and a pipe being fixed. And work continues “to control moisture and attend to the HVAC.”
Parents are asking for virtual learning, portable classrooms, and other alternatives until they feel the school is safe for their children. The school has offered to work with students needing accommodation.
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