As for the teachers, Abbott says "only two out of a staff of 210 have complained of illnesses they believe are related to air quality." So there really is no problem there.
Not all teachers would agree. As one puts it: "There are many concerned teachers who've had health problems. There's one new teacher who's had a lot of upper respiratory problems. And we have these medically fragile children here." In fact, medically fragile children have a longer school year and continue to go to Rogers for several weeks into the summer.
Mold keeps coming back at T.H. Rogers, despite cleanups.
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"I think it should be closed down this summer," the teacher says, "and cleaned up."
When Paula Vance started working in her field more than 25 years ago, there wasn't much business. Now it's a big deal; she flies around the country analyzing and dispensing mold advice. Are there more problems now or just more awareness? Probably both as buildings break down and adults become more environmentally sensitive.
Vance believes a bad environment in school does affect the ability for kids to learn, does lower the attendance records of teachers, does lower test scores.
Should these schools be dismantled? Vance says no, usually they can be cleaned up. (Although there was a case in Florida, she says, where the government spent $21 million to remediate a $7.5 million courthouse.) "Usually we try to contain classrooms. Clean and disinfect the surrounding areas. That's the reason books become a problem. There's so many different kinds of paper, adhesive and bindings," she says, explaining that a certain disinfectant will be best for one type of paper, but not another. And there's the Catch 22 that once a book is decontaminated with one disinfectant, it may become more susceptible to other molds. Which would explain the recurring problem in T.H. Rogers.
Parents say the problem renewed itself this spring. They re-complained to Andersson; Vance was invited to the school and on her way out, did an impromptu sampling.
Not all parents at Rogers are upset. Part of the difference in reactions of parents appears to be tied to whether their child is getting sick. Jane Laping, who works with Mothers for Clean Air and is concerned with outdoor air pollution, wonders if there's a mold problem in every school in HISD. She appreciates Andersson taking the lead on looking into the problem.
Still, this is a story with many disquieting parts, one of which is the fear going on at this HISD school. Parents and teachers interviewed who were concerned about the mold declined to have their names used, saying they were afraid their child might be removed from the Vanguard program. Teachers say it would just get them in trouble and they need to keep their jobs. In fact, after the Press contacted the HISD press office, Abbott went to Rogers. The next day, May 12, Andersson distributed a memo to staff entitled "The Media" which reminded them that "if the media contacts you to procure information about any situation instructional or otherwise Š all media coverage must go through Mr. Abbott's office."
"One thing that I've realized is that when the topic was brought up at first it was pushed down," one teacher says. "Later, we got a new principal and she doesn't want us to work against her. She can't do a whole lot because she wants to keep her job."
HISD has done things to contain the mold problem at Rogers. Whether they've been the right things is debatable. Parents, teachers and yes, even the media have a right to question that. Because at stake here are the lives of children and teachers. Maybe HISD should think about some of those medical tests.
As Vance put it: "If you clean up all the books but still return them to a hot, humid environment, the organisms come back faster. Organisms adapt."
If organisms adapt then HISD and other school districts must get smarter about how to deal with molds. Sending a lone librarian in to wipe books down with bleach won't do it.
Oh, and one final set of words of wisdom from Vance:
"Fungi have been around longer than roaches."
E-mail Margaret Downing at margaret.downing@houstonpress.com.
