Williamsburg Middle School - MOLD

[Anonymous]

My child has been complaining about the mold in a few of the classrooms at WMS.

I spoke to her teachers today at conference who acknowledged the mold issue and said they were also sick from it and that the school has not been responsive resolving this. She is sick and would have missed school if they weren't already off.

Besides the front desk at WMS - who should I be contacting? Anyone else out there have kids sick/complaining of mold issues?

Thank you in advance for your responses
(yes, I know colds are going around - what my kid has now seems to be a mold allergy/reaction)

[Anonymous]

Some people are more sensitive to mold than others. Some have no reaction whilst others become chronically ill. I would request a medical transfer to another school if APS doesn’t resolve the issue soon.

[Anonymous]

I'd start with the superintendent of schools.

[Anonymous]

Email the School Board.

[Anonymous]

Tag ventilation lady on AEM

[Anonymous]

Omg outrageous.

[Anonymous]

How did your student spot the mold?

[Anonymous]

Op here : Student said they could see mold where a previous leak was. I’ll ask them to take iPad photos on Monday. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Please force this issue. I’m a teacher and worked in a different district with chronic mold issues and I was always sick. They don’t care if teachers complain or escalate. Leaving was the only option for staff who kept getting sick. Maybe they will take it more seriously if the parents do something.

[Anonymous]

Illness from mold can lead to disability and autoimmune conditions for some. We all have different tolerances to mold and other toxins, but that should not detract from the seriousness of the problem. Take photos and share with the PTA and school board members. Contact your GP or pediatrician as well.

[Anonymous]

Take notes from what students at GWMS in Alexandria had to do a few years ago to finally get mold addressed in their classrooms. A complete disgrace that schools ignore these building issues! Send your kid to school with a mold testing kit to collect samples if you have to. This absolutely needs to be taken seriously and remediated.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/we-can-change-something-these-13-year-olds-found-mold-in-their-schools-and-did-something-about-it/2019/06/30/5257de34-96a3-11e9-8d0a-5edd7e2025b1_story.html

[Anonymous]

APS has a mold specialist, or something like it. We had a burst pipe at Ashlawn that led to mold in a handful of classrooms, and the “APS mold guy” (not his title, obv) was in our school many times to test rooms and coordinate mold abatement. Get the pta together, write to the head of facilities, and copy your school admin and the supt.

[Anonymous]

Take photos and make a public comment to school board. Go to the press. If you don’t go public they will deny and hide.

[Anonymous]

Ugh my kid saw mold at WMS several years ago. I went very high with it but didn’t go public. They swept it under the rug and made me out to be the crazy parent.

Facilities knows all about this. Shame on them.

[Anonymous]

WMS is one of the oldest APS buildings and un desperate need of repair. This does not surprise me at all.