Bacteria, Fungi Taint Poway Classroom Air

Poway school authorities have discovered “above the ordinary tolerance levels” of fungi and bacteria in the air of a Midland Elementary School classroom, which may help explain health complaints of some teachers and children, Principal Fred Van Houten said.

Room 15, which held 31 third-graders, was closed Wednesday, and tests of other rooms began Friday. The school’s 750 students went home Friday with a letter notifying parents of the problem.

“What was found was a high level of contamination--though it was fairly high, it posed no danger to normal children,” said Jim Abbott, assistant superintendent of the Poway Unified School District. Abbott said the levels might pose a problem to youngsters who are prone to allergies.

District Supt. Robert L. Reeves said: “We are trying to take every precaution we can. We don’t think it was critical. We are just being super cautious. We want to provide a safe and secure environment for our kids.”

Cleanup has already begun in Room 15. One wall and the air conditioner was replaced. Blinds were put on windows, and the sink traps were replaced, Van Houten said. The room was also scrubbed and vacuumed.

Experts are uncertain about the source of the airborne bacteria. But they do know that the level in Room 15 is double that in Room 6, Van Houten said. Possible culprits include floor mats and carpets, he said. Abbott said nearby livestock could be contributing to the problem.

For several years, teachers and students have complained about Room 15, a 960-square-foot classroom that faces an unpaved area near animals. One teacher said that, although she loved the room, it smelled bad. And last year, a teacher complained of so many respiratory problems and allergies that Van Houten transferred her to another room. This year’s teacher, Peggy Johnson, also raised concerns about the room. So did some of the children.

The absenteeism rate among Room 15 students is no higher than elsewhere in the school, Van Houten said. Yet, after receiving so many complaints, officials decided to test the air Feb. 1. The test results came back this week.

On Thursday, experts retested Room 15 and tested several other areas--including the library, Room 16 and Room 7--at a cost of about $1,200 each, Van Houten said. Results from these tests are expected next week, he said.

Meanwhile, Johnson’s third-graders are using the 1,600-square-foot library as their classroom.

“We are not going to put the students back in the room until we know it’s safe--we don’t know that it’s unsafe, but we want our children to be perfectly safe,” Van Houten said.