Anonymous
03/05/2026 20:11
Subject: Jawando spotlights air-quality issue at NHES that left 26 children, 9 staff members ill
Anonymous wrote:The air quality in so many schools is poor. We filed a few reports at one of the schools I worked at but nothing was done. Nowadays they have indoor air quality monitors at each school. Google "MCPS air quality monitoring" and you can see each individual schools levels. I think it's not a true accurate picture and even if the levels are above suggested levels, there is small print that the levels need to be consistently above the recommended amount for a certain period of time before they would even consider doing anything (or nothing).
Mold is an elusive toxin. It can wax and wane, depending on weather conditions, esp. humidity.
I don't know that I have ever heard that MCPS air sensors have reported any problems in any school to which MCPS has responded. Anybody know of an example where MCPS showed up to fix something based on its air sensor readings?
Anonymous
03/05/2026 20:09
Subject: Jawando spotlights air-quality issue at NHES that left 26 children, 9 staff members ill
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What happened in that room? That seems like a very localized event, like a specific peace of equipment failed. Or possibly a communicable illness that someone brought in and spread to others.
Not sure. But it's wild that MCEA, SEIU and the PTA had to hire their own specialist to diagnose the issue and give the report to MCPS.
What was the cause? I apologize if it was stated earlier and I missed it.
Click the link to Jawando's statement on FB, which includes the NHES PTA's letter which outlines the details of the incident.
It does not say the cause.
The school has been plagued by mold for years, which as an east-side, Title 1 school, the school district has chosen to mostly ignore.
Anonymous
03/05/2026 19:39
Subject: Jawando spotlights air-quality issue at NHES that left 26 children, 9 staff members ill
The air quality in so many schools is poor. We filed a few reports at one of the schools I worked at but nothing was done. Nowadays they have indoor air quality monitors at each school. Google "MCPS air quality monitoring" and you can see each individual schools levels. I think it's not a true accurate picture and even if the levels are above suggested levels, there is small print that the levels need to be consistently above the recommended amount for a certain period of time before they would even consider doing anything (or nothing).
Anonymous
03/05/2026 17:12
Subject: Jawando spotlights air-quality issue at NHES that left 26 children, 9 staff members ill
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What happened in that room? That seems like a very localized event, like a specific peace of equipment failed. Or possibly a communicable illness that someone brought in and spread to others.
Not sure. But it's wild that MCEA, SEIU and the PTA had to hire their own specialist to diagnose the issue and give the report to MCPS.
What was the cause? I apologize if it was stated earlier and I missed it.
Click the link to Jawando's statement on FB, which includes the NHES PTA's letter which outlines the details of the incident.
It does not say the cause.
The letter makes it clear the findings will be released this month. So they're not out yet and the NHES PTA plans on sharing it with MCPS and the public when they get it. That was stated in the letter.
Anonymous
03/05/2026 17:01
Subject: Jawando spotlights air-quality issue at NHES that left 26 children, 9 staff members ill
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What happened in that room? That seems like a very localized event, like a specific peace of equipment failed. Or possibly a communicable illness that someone brought in and spread to others.
Not sure. But it's wild that MCEA, SEIU and the PTA had to hire their own specialist to diagnose the issue and give the report to MCPS.
What was the cause? I apologize if it was stated earlier and I missed it.
Click the link to Jawando's statement on FB, which includes the NHES PTA's letter which outlines the details of the incident.
It does not say the cause.
Anonymous
03/05/2026 16:18
Subject: Jawando spotlights air-quality issue at NHES that left 26 children, 9 staff members ill
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What happened in that room? That seems like a very localized event, like a specific peace of equipment failed. Or possibly a communicable illness that someone brought in and spread to others.
Not sure. But it's wild that MCEA, SEIU and the PTA had to hire their own specialist to diagnose the issue and give the report to MCPS.
What was the cause? I apologize if it was stated earlier and I missed it.
Click the link to Jawando's statement on FB, which includes the NHES PTA's letter which outlines the details of the incident.
Anonymous
03/05/2026 15:48
Subject: Jawando spotlights air-quality issue at NHES that left 26 children, 9 staff members ill
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What happened in that room? That seems like a very localized event, like a specific peace of equipment failed. Or possibly a communicable illness that someone brought in and spread to others.
Not sure. But it's wild that MCEA, SEIU and the PTA had to hire their own specialist to diagnose the issue and give the report to MCPS.
What was the cause? I apologize if it was stated earlier and I missed it.
Anonymous
03/05/2026 13:57
Subject: Jawando spotlights air-quality issue at NHES that left 26 children, 9 staff members ill
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:That's terrible, I didn't know about this. If I had a kid there, I would be very worried about their health.
I agree. I wonder why Taylor isn’t making this an emergency and running to Council for emergency funds? They found $800,000 for the background checks that needed to get done with the OIG called him out.
Doesn’t this qualify as a similar emergency?
I think we'd need to figure out what's going on and before it makes sense to ask for money to fix it.
It doesn’t seem like MCPS wants to find out what’s going. The NHES PTA has repeatedly advocated over the last few years and warned of the health and safety due to the deteriorating conditions of the building, and MCPS keeps saying they’re looking into it or claiming the issue has been remediated.
This was from a year ago: https://www.mymcmedia.org/pta-to-board-of-ed-students-and-teachers-are-breathing-in-mold/
Because it’s a poor school and largely Latino. This doesn’t happen in Potomac.
Jawando is looking for attention and to stay relevant.
Anonymous
03/05/2026 13:52
Subject: Jawando spotlights air-quality issue at NHES that left 26 children, 9 staff members ill
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What happened in that room? That seems like a very localized event, like a specific peace of equipment failed. Or possibly a communicable illness that someone brought in and spread to others.
Not sure. But it's wild that MCEA, SEIU and the PTA had to hire their own specialist to diagnose the issue and give the report to MCPS.
The letter from Jawando doesn't contain any of that information. What was the issue diagnosed, and what kind of expert diagnosed it?
The link to Jawando's Facebook post includes a screenshot of a letter from the NHES PTA stating that the three aforementioned entities have hired an "Industrial Hygienist" and will be sharing the results and the report with MCPS and the public in March 2026.
Anonymous
03/05/2026 12:49
Subject: Jawando spotlights air-quality issue at NHES that left 26 children, 9 staff members ill
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What happened in that room? That seems like a very localized event, like a specific peace of equipment failed. Or possibly a communicable illness that someone brought in and spread to others.
Not sure. But it's wild that MCEA, SEIU and the PTA had to hire their own specialist to diagnose the issue and give the report to MCPS.
The letter from Jawando doesn't contain any of that information. What was the issue diagnosed, and what kind of expert diagnosed it?
Anonymous
03/05/2026 12:11
Subject: Jawando spotlights air-quality issue at NHES that left 26 children, 9 staff members ill
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:That's terrible, I didn't know about this. If I had a kid there, I would be very worried about their health.
I agree. I wonder why Taylor isn’t making this an emergency and running to Council for emergency funds? They found $800,000 for the background checks that needed to get done with the OIG called him out.
Doesn’t this qualify as a similar emergency?
I think we'd need to figure out what's going on and before it makes sense to ask for money to fix it.
It doesn’t seem like MCPS wants to find out what’s going. The NHES PTA has repeatedly advocated over the last few years and warned of the health and safety due to the deteriorating conditions of the building, and MCPS keeps saying they’re looking into it or claiming the issue has been remediated.
This was from a year ago: https://www.mymcmedia.org/pta-to-board-of-ed-students-and-teachers-are-breathing-in-mold/
Because it’s a poor school and largely Latino. This doesn’t happen in Potomac.