Mold Keeps Lawrenceburg School Closed

Students and teachers were supposed to be back in class in Lawrenceburg on Monday, but for safety reasons, school board members voted to keep the doors closed.

In a story you saw First on News 2, Christi Lowe filed this report on the school mold mess in Lawrenceburg.

Classrooms at David Crockett Elementary were empty because hundreds of students who were supposed to fill the seats were staying home.

"We’re not going to put any students or teachers in jeopardy."

School is cancelled for the week while educators try to figure out how to rid the building of mold and carbon dioxide.

Director of Schools, Butch Morrow explained, "We do have some high levels in some of our classrooms of carbon dioxide. That concerns us a little bit."

It’s a problem that’s plagued the school since it opened five years ago. Last month environmental experts tested the building and found poor air quality, and numerous types of mold.

The culprits, according to the report, are the H-VAC units installed in each room.

School Principal , James Bryant stated, "The units need to be repaired and the ductwork fixed to fit the units and the traps put in the drain lines, so the units are fixed and can do the job they’re designed to do."

The director of schools told News 2 that he’ll get the job done. The challenge, he says, is what to do with the children in the meantime.

"We’ve discussed busing the children to other schools. That’s going to be nigh on impossible. We discussed using churches. We’re exploring a lot of options right now."

Professional crews cleaned the entire building over the holiday break. And school officials are consulting with the EPA and the Department of Health to see if they can open again.

For now, David Crockett Elementary is quiet.

"I think we need monitors in the rooms for carbon dioxide, and monitors for the humidity to make sure the rooms are right…before people are put back in this building."

School Board members discuss the issue again Monday at 7 p.m.. They say it could take 60 days or more to fix the problem– and students there may have to "share classrooms" while the repairs are being made.