NORTH ADAMS, MA (WGGB/WSHM) – North Adams parents are fired up after learning that mold has been discovered at their children’s elementary school and they found out about it just days before the school year started.
The first day of school is usually exciting for families, but in North Adams, some parents decided to opt out at the eleventh hour after learning Brayton Elementary School is dealing with mold.
“I cant believe what’s going on, I lost all faith and trust in the school system in this town,” parent Miguel Rodriguez told us. “I’m not going to give her an asthma problem because of this, that’s insane,”
He explained that he and his wife decided to delay first grade for their child, seeking independent schooling options after seeing the mold first-hand during a school tour.
“We smelt it, got metallic tastes in our mouth in the library, there’s an air conditioning in there and it seemed to be going through the air conditioning vent. It’s just unacceptable,” Rodriguez shared. “The cafeteria had big cinderblock walls that they painted and underneath it was mushy and that’s on the main floor in the cafeteria where kids are eating.”
An anonymous parent told us she allowed her student to go to school Thursday but admitted she’s frustrated.
“Me and her father were discussing not sending her in fear of her getting sick because she has allergies. She begged me all last night to send her,” the parent claimed. “It’s hard as a parent to see your child cry because they want to go to school, and they want to learn.”
Rodriguez explained they found out about the growth days before the beginning of the school year, adding that parents were ensured the mold was only found in one part of the building.
“The superintendent can scream until she is blue in the face that everything’s fine, I don’t trust her. This has been a big blow to the school-home connection in education that’s a critical point. So disappointing,” he stated.
We reached out to Barbara Malkas, North Adams Public Schools’ superintendent for comment. We were referred to the letter posted on the website on Wednesday, explaining the situation. It outlined action taken including removal of carpet in the classroom and applying mold resistant paint to all painted surfaces.
It reads in part:
“Older school buildings, like Brayton Elementary School (built in 1991) suffer from excess humidity in several areas of the building due to the age of its mechanical systems and general construction elements. The district has been working diligently to address these system-related challenges for many years to ensure a safe environment for our students, faculty, and staff.”
Meanwhile in Wilbraham, the middle school won’t kick off the school year until next week after a significant mold cleanup. Superintendent John Provost says the building has been clear for days, and parents want to help teachers rebuild their classrooms.
“I’ve been really pleased by the way that some parents have turned out to try to in some cases support teachers who are in some cases trying to rebuild some of their classroom supplies and materials for learning,” Provost told us.
Rodriguez has brought the mold to the attention of the city and state’s departments of public health. He says they will not let their child return to the school until the state does their own tests and deems it safe to enter.
Copyright 2024. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.
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