Crews were inside Lakewood Elementary over the weekend, monitoring the air quality inside the school after reports of children being nauseated, dizzy, and lethargic during the school day. One child even vomited in between classes.
This is the second time parents have voiced concern over air quality inside the school. Just last year a dead owl stuck in a vent forced carbon monoxide from the school’s boiler into several classrooms, sickening children and staff in the circa 1951 building.
According to the Advocate, a meeting to discuss the building’s classroom and cafeteria expansion is slated for tomorrow (Feb. 23) evening, though a discussion about air quality is to be expected.
Despite the reports of sick kids, classes continued today, though parents said they would be keeping close watch on Dallas ISD to make sure this didn’t happen again.
“Obviously I personally don’t feel like my son is in danger today or tomorrow,” parent Paula Goldberg said to NBC 5. “But something needs to be addressed in the school, because something is not right. It’s an odd coincidence that we’ve had two things like this.”
Gretchen Stofer Darby with LEEF agreed.
“Our kids’ safety is just the most important thing. And I want to make sure if I allow my daughter to go to school on Monday, it’s going to be a safe environment,” she said in a Fox 4 report.
Friends of Lakewood installed carbon monoxide monitors throughout the school last year after children were sickened. According to Chris Prestridge, the group will put low-level CO monitors in strategic locations as well.
Some parents are still concerned that, while tests for carbon monoxide came back clear, mold could be the issue considering the spotty climate control inside the campus. Others are concerned about the recent spate of natural gas leaks throughout the neighborhood, wondering if it could be seeping into the school like it did inside Megan Anderson‘s home.
Lakewood Elementary is scheduled for an overhaul after being allocated $12.6 million toward renovations last year. Lakewood Elementary Expansion Foundation raised an additional $500,000 toward planned updates at the aging school. It’s a sore spot for affluent families that have bought homes inside the Lakewood Elementary attendance area so that they can send their children to school at one of Dallas ISD’s top performing primary campuses.
WOuld you consider buying a home inside the Lakewood Elementary attendance zone after two air quality scares?
