Sherrill Perkins, a teacher at Jane Addams Elementary School in Fresno, fears that her teaching career may be over, due to health problems caused by exposure to toxic mold in her portable classroom. Perkins, 52 and divorced, is now on disability, and wondering how she will support herself if she is too ill to resume teaching.
Before the exposure, Perkins says she was in fairly good health. "I never had hay fever or any breathing problems," she says.
Her toxicologist has diagnosed her condition as chronic fatigue syndrome, an immune system disorder. She also suffers from a decrease in pulmonary function, tremors and mild problems with cognitive functioning.
Fellow Fresno Teachers Association member Gloria Mitchell had taught in the same classroom until five years ago and also became ill. Her hair had fallen out - a symptom of exposure to toxic mold - and she suffered severe sinus infections.
Even after the portable classroom's ceiling and roof were replaced, Mitchell's illness continued unabated. She was assigned another classroom when the district decided it couldn't do anything more. Since then, her health has improved dramatically.
"I know of at least six other teachers who got sick in that classroom," she says.
Nevertheless, it took three months of worsening respiratory problems before Perkins was able to convince the administration to send in maintenance workers.
Perkins suspected residual mold problems even though she couldn't see them. Her classroom windows were dripping with moisture every morning. "I had a box of learning games on the floor and when I went to move it one day, there was moisture on the bottom." When workers pulled the carpet back, she could see water had damaged the subfloor.
"It was a drainage problem," says Perkins. "They didn't grade things properly when they put the bungalow in. All the water drained underneath my classroom."
Under pressure from the Fresno Teachers Association, the district agreed to have the mold typed. Instead, however, a cleaning crew was sent in over the weekend to scrub the wood down, put up a new panel and replace the flooring. At that point, FTA decided to play hardball and invited local television stations to look into the story. Because of the media exposure, says Perkins, the district sent in an environmental lab to obtain air samples.
The results - combined with Perkins' blood work - confirmed that significant levels of exposure to the toxic stachybotrys mold had occurred. Problems associated with exposure include headaches, rashes, respiratory ailments, inhibition of the immune system impairment, lung disease, cognitive memory loss and brain damage.
Perkins' attention is now focused on fighting the district's assertion that she's completely recovered. "I feel like I'm living in a nightmare," she says.
Meanwhile, Gloria Mitchell says mold has been discovered in her current classroom, which is not a portable. "The district denied it was mold, but they cleaned and replaced the acoustical tiles on the walls in many classrooms here. It took six weeks and having to make threats and get a sinus infection before they finally did something," she fumes. "I think it's really negligent."
At this year's NEA Representative Assembly in July, Mitchell introduced a new business item asking NEA to get information out to members and the public about how bad the mold situation is in schools. "I spoke out about my situation and others described problems at their schools." A huge number of delegates raised their hands when they were asked if they knew teachers who had been affected by mold, says Mitchell. "No one spoke against my proposal. Getting 10,000 delegates to agree on something is amazing. It was the only new business item that was approved unanimously."
She advises teachers to make an issue out of mold contamination - even if administrators tell them not to worry. "If it happens to you, get your union involved. Don't let it go. Get a Tools for Schools kit [see below] so you know what to look for and can see the warning signs. I can't emphasize this enough. It's a very serious matter."
What can you do if you suspect a problem?
Even if you take pains to maintain a healthy lifestyle, sick buildings can undo it all. It is estimated that half of all schools in the country have some type of indoor air quality problem.
If you think your school or classroom has a problem, CTA can help.
CTA's Legal Department handles contamination cases on a building-by-building basis, usually with field representatives or attorneys filing complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and in some cases getting injunctions to close schools.
In other cases, CTA's Negotiations and Organizing Department can work with local staff to help chapters organize the community around the issue of sick schools.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a kit free of charge to teachers who wish to assess the indoor air quality of their facilities. IAQ Tools for Schools can be used as a guide to identifying, correcting and preventing problems. The kit includes checklists, videos, sample memos and policies, a recommended management plan and a "problem-solving wheel." For more information, visit the EPA website www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/index.html.
If mold is the problem, it must be cleaned up and the source of moisture eliminated. Absorbent materials such as carpet or ceiling tiles may need to be replaced, not just cleaned or covered up.
Look for signs of moisture or condensation on carpets, ceiling tiles and windows; musty odors; or algae-like substance on surfaces or underneath them. One trouble spot can be behind cabinets or other furniture positioned against outside walls in hot and humid climates. Keep a humidity gauge in the classroom and look for problems if the reading goes above 60 percent.
CTA President Wayne Johnson says that he'd like to see legislation passed to make sure the state monitors mold levels in schools. "It's not right to put teachers' health - and the health of students - at risk. Working conditions are bad enough without having to work in a toxic environment."
