San Benito High School officials evacuated the counseling office
this week because of concerns about possible mold
contamination.
San Benito High School officials evacuated the counseling office this week because of concerns about possible mold contamination.
The office will remain closed until at least Wednesday, according to Principal Duane Morgan.
And it could remain vacated longer if the hired environmental consultant, Hazmat Doc, finds any mold that could endanger employees or students.
“If there is a (mold) problem, we’ll have to take corrective measures,” Morgan said.
The possible contamination was caused by a sink from the floor above the counseling office that overflowed a couple weeks ago, according to Steve DeLay, director of finance and operations.
When an office employee discovered the problem, the ceiling had been sagging. And after further examination of the tiles, school officials found one board with a black substance on it, DeLay said.
“We don’t know if it’s good mold, bad mold or what,” he said.
Health experts advised school officials to take the precautionary action of closing the office.
If the environmental consultant identifies the substance as mold, the office would likely be closed at least an additional four days to determine its type and severity, DeLay said.
“Personally, I don’t smell anything, but there are other people who do,” he said.
Mold can aggravate allergies and respiratory problems, according to documents from the Center for Disease Control. If someone has immunity problems, he or she may be at a higher risk for infections.
“Everybody knows mold’s one of those big things now,” Morgan said.
Counselors, guidance technicians and clerical personnel who make up the office’s 17-person staff have been “disbursed around campus,” Morgan said. Their office equipment has also been removed.
Many counselors and guidance technicians during this time of the school year, he said, are out of the office helping students on “four-year plans.”
