Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for February 18, 2007 BENNETT ELEMENTARY TO OPEN MONDAY?

That's the rumor...oops, make that official. WSIL TV Channel 3 just made the announcement at 10:15 p.m.

Have to admit to being confused by these developments based upon the discussion at the Cairo Board of Education meeting last Thursday. During that meeting, BOE members expressed concern about sending staff and students into the building before it was known that it was safe. One BOE member stated that the building should be closed Friday so that it could be cleaned over the weekend. In response, another BOE member made the motion to close Bennett Elementary on Friday. Superintendent Gary Whitledge cautioned the BOE members about taking such action...emphasizing that air quality samples would have to be taken and the results obtained before it would be known whether the building was safe. He indicated that the results of such tests would not be known for several days. In response, the BOE member making the motion changed his motion to close Bennett Elementary NOT just Friday...but until such time that the results were obtained.

Well...being a curious CAT, I drove by Bennett Elementary both Saturday and Sunday and observed that Steamatic had two vans at the building. By the sight of a (vibrating) vent sticking out the second story window(s) both days, it was obvious that the clean-up was in progress. That was the good news.

HOWEVER...if the clean-up was being done on Sunday, how did the air quality tests and the results that take several days to obtain occur by the Sunday evening 10 O'clock news?

Again, as a survivor of mold and gas exposure at Cairo High School, I sincerely hope that a "rush to judgment" isn't taking place.

Yes, state ISAT testing is upon us once more...and the hope is that Bennett Elementary will meet AYP for the second year in a row, which would remove it from the "bad list"...subject to NCLB sanctions. But...staff and students have been distracted for weeks by a variety of ailments symptomatic of exposure to mold. At least two teachers have had to seek medical assistance for serious health problems. Other staff and students have been affected. IF the building is not completely clean and free from mold, forcing occupancy of a sick building would be counter-productive to success on the ISAT test. Students and staff will not be able to concentrate on proper preparation if they are sick or distracted by wondering if the building is safe. And...if this continues, the students may well be ill when the time comes for the tests, either missing the tests or taking the tests while sick.

Yes...this is speculation, but it is speculation based directly upon the cautions and concerns expressed at last Thursday's BOE meeting and timelines spelled out by the administration.

Maybe a licensed third-party air quality control team took air samples this afternoon, ran the tests, and provided the certified results to the administration...this evening prior to the notification of WSIL TV Channel 3.

For the health, safety, and liability of all concerned, we certainly hope so.