MARSTONS MILLS — Gilian Tusko donned a sweatshirt that read "mold their minds not their lungs," as she stood at the top of the Barnstable United Elementary School driveway Tuesday morning to protest the school district's approach to mold testing and mitigation .
"The school is full of mold . The staff and students are ill. We need facts. We need truth. We need transparency," said Tusko. "That’s the bottom line."
About 15 parents and guardians were holding signs alongside Tusko and waving to other families driving toward the school's parent pick-up and drop-off line.
As Brittany Burt held up a sign that said "Let truth be told, stop the mold," she said she pulled her child out of the school for the day and took time off work to protest. Burt said Superintendent Sara Ahern and the district has shown a lack of transparency since detecting mold at the school in July.
For Erin Petersen, the school has had plenty of time to address issues about mold. Petersen referred to a state Department of Public Health report published in October 2019 that documented the presence of mold.
"The district and the Superintendent have had this information for years. This is not a new problem," said Petersen. "Sara Ahern needs to act now."
In a letter emailed to Barnstable United families on Sunday, Oct. 6, Ahern said the safety and well-being of students and staff is the district's top priority. The letter was provided to the Times by Sarah O'Connor, a parent at the school.
"I want to keep you informed of our efforts to ensure that the school is a safe place for everyone," said Ahern in the letter.
Ahern sent a copy of the letter by email to the Times and other media outlets on Oct. 7.
About 706 students attend Barnstable United, state records show.
Ahern also told parents in the email that a special School Committee meeting will further address mold concerns at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8, in the Barnstable Town Council hearing room. The hearing room is in Town Hall in Hyannis.
When was mold detected at the school?
At an Aug. 21 School Committee meeting, Ahern said Target Inspections, a microbial investigations company, detected mold in mid-July at Barnstable United and Barnstable High School . ServiceMasters then began cleanup at both locations, according to Ahern. In an Aug. 26 letter to families, Ahern said the school had to open a week behind schedule because of the mold. Two classrooms were also temporarily relocated due to mold.
In a Sept. 3 email to the Times, Ahern said the district spent $500,000 during the summer to clean up mold at Barnstable United and the high school.
During the Oct. 3 School Committee meeting, parents, teachers and staff spoke about their concerns about the mold at the school and asked Ahern and School Committee members for solutions. Some speakers asked for virtual learning options. Others hoped the district could temporarily relocate students to another building. And several speakers asked for ongoing air quality testing.
Superintendent says school is safe
Ahern's letter on Oct. 6 to Barnstable United families was intended to update them on recent surface tape assessments for indoor air quality that was conducted by Marina Brock, an independent subject matter expert affiliated with Soteria Environmental Health Safety.
According to a report , which was posted to Barnstable Elementary's website, Brock collected 11 preliminary surface tape samples from various locations within the building on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Brock, said Ahern in the email, focused on areas of concern noted by faculty and staff including under desk drawers in the assistant principal's office; the office floor in the administration division nurse’s office; and a hallway above a suspended ceiling by a current water leak.
According to the report, mold spore levels were scant to absent on 10 of the 11 samples. Penicillium and aspergillus was found on one of the samples. The sample was in debris form, according to the report, and wasn't growing or viable. No indoor viable or proliferating mold was observed, according to the report.
"Dr. Brock reaffirmed that the overall indoor air quality at BUES is within normal and acceptable ranges," said Ahern in the letter. "She made a few recommendations regarding seasonal moisture management and routine HVAC maintenance, which the district will follow."
Ahern also said in the email that mold exposure could affect individuals with sensitivities and assured families that the district would be responsive.
Parents want further testing
Amanda McGerigle Alden, who attended the protest on Tuesday, said spot testing isn't enough. Blanket testing, she said, must be done throughout the entire school.
For Peterson, the information Ahern sent to families is filled with jargon designed to deter public scrutiny.
"If they truly cared about our children and educators, they would stop the gaslighting and start adequate testing," said Petersen. "There is no justification for not thoroughly inspecting every inch of the building to find the root cause of the mold."
Michaela Begg said her son is allergic to mold, he has attention deficit disorder, and is asthmatic. She said she needs answers and solutions now.
"I have to send him to school and I feel horrible as a parent doing that," said Begg. "But I can’t afford to lose my job. I’m a single mother. The district has to do something now."
Rachael Devaney writes about community and culture. Reach her at rdevaney@capecodonline.com . Follow her on Twitter: @RachaelDevaney.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: 'Mold their minds not their lungs.' Parents protest mold conditions at Barnstable United
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