Mold problems being ignored by school officials
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on February 24, 2004 1:59 PM
Schools in northern Wayne County have a mold problem that is being ignored by the school system, residents say.
During a community meeting Monday night at Charles B. Aycock with the Board of Education about the proposed construction plan, several in the audience mentioned problems at schools. One woman said she has been a substitute teacher at Norwayne Middle School, where mold in the eighth-grade building is "seeping through the cracks."
Northeast and North-west elementary schools were also mentioned by parent Amy Price.
Curtis Stafford said his wife, a teacher at Northwest, has had an ongoing problem with mold.
"The books have been covered with it," he said. "She's had to run a humidifier in the classroom."
Kelly Matthews graduated from Charles B. Aycock High School and now teaches there. She expressed similar concerns.
"I have mold in my classroom here at Aycock, growing all over my back walls," she said. "I have turned it in, but they said they'll get to it this summer."
Board Chairman Pete Gurley and board member George Moye said they did not know that mold was a major problem in the schools.
"We were aware of some of it," said Gurley. "We can assure you it will be addressed."
Board member Rick Pridgen also said he was concerned but noted there are other issues that also need to be addressed.
"We still have an asbestos problem we're dealing with as well," he said.
School officials met today and plan to release a statement about what the school system is doing about the problem.