MAYNARD, MASS. (WHDH) - Maynard parents voiced their concerns Thursday night about the possibility of their children being exposed to asbestos at Green Meadow Elementary School.
Parents and teachers filled the seats at a regularly scheduled school committee meeting to voice their frustrations and concerns after part of Green Meadow was closed to remove old asbestos materials.
Some questioned why this issue hadn’t been addressed sooner.
“The town needs to understand that teachers at Green Meadow have been getting sick for the past two or three years,” one man told the committee.
District leaders say they’ve known about the asbestos but added that it became an immediate concern last month, leaving many teachers and parents outraged.
“I’m not the only parent who’s had kids go to the hospital because they went to that classroom,” one parent said.
In a statement, the district said: “We are aware of the age and state of the Green Meadow building, and we are aware of building materials and methods in the 1950s. What matters most is that, whether this building remains in operation for five more years or 50, we must do what we can to ensure the health and safety or our students, faculty and staff.”
Many parents argue that they were left in the dark about the asbestos problem, which is something leaders acknowledged can be improved.
“I do agree that there’s been a lack of communication,” a school board member said.
The committee says that there is no current public health threat in the building.
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