Concerned parents at Clifton Hunter High School are calling for immediate action following reports of students and teachers falling ill from fumes caused by the recent replacement of carpeting in one building.
A worried mother, speaking with the Cayman Compass on Friday, said her child has asthma and the fumes have been making the child and fellow schoolmates sick.
“I am 100% concerned because my child is asthmatic. They’re knowingly putting these children in danger. It’s like leadership doesn’t care. They’re basically telling the teachers who have also complained that you need to just suck it up and wear a mask,” she said.
Breathing problems
However, the concerned parent said children and staff have been complaining of respiratory issues, rashes, nose bleeds, among others.
The parent said it started when kids returned from the Easter holidays to find the carpeting was replaced at the school’s Cimboco building.
Teachers and students were greeted with fumes from a mix of chemicals that were used in replacing the carpet that left a smell that did not dissipate, she said.
In addition, the associated fumes was painting work exacerbated the situation.
“They need to facilitate more space or they need to do remote learning for the school until they remediate the smell in that building and make it safe for everyone,” the parent said.
Her child, she said, has been complaining about headaches and stomach aches “which we kind of thought it was just from stress because of getting ready to do exams and what not. But speaking to teachers, they’re saying that other children are having the same symptoms.”
She added that a friend who has kids in the same grade as her child, said her older child was also suffering with migraines and stomach aches.
She said she alerted multiple officials within the school and at the Department of Education Services to the situation, but her pleas for action have fallen on deaf ears.
She said she is frustrated with the lack of responsiveness to the situation.
The school had to call out ambulances last week for two children who experienced breathing issues, she said, adding that firefighters were also called after a student tripped the fire alarm.
Both DES and ministry officials were contacted for comment on the situation.
DES, responded to the Compass queries by email, confirmed there were some issues with the presence of a chemical odour at Cimboco Academy “which arose from recent carpet removal activities at Clifton Hunter High School, specifically impacting Cimboco Academy, and the associated remedial work in preparation for carpet replacement”.
It said upon identification of the issue, the Department of Education Services and the school leadership collaborated with the Department of Environmental Health to conduct an assessment.
“While the assessment indicated that levels of certain compounds were below recommended thresholds, we acknowledge the possibility of varying sensitivities among individuals, necessitating proactive measures to ensure safety and well-being,” the DES said.
DES said it was important to note that “only 0.02% of the student cohort and 0.06% of the staff have reported adverse health outcomes” as a result of the odour.
“The school promptly responded to these reports, including calling ambulances for affected children and coordinating with the fire department. However, it’s essential to clarify that evacuation of the entire school was not deemed necessary by the authorities,” the DES added.
Action being taken
To address concerns and mitigate risks, it said, the school, in collaboration with the Department of Education Services, has implemented specific actions.
“These include enhancing ventilation, implementing thorough cleaning procedures, monitoring air quality improvements, and implementing interim teaching arrangements.
The school has also established regular communication channels to provide updates to school leadership, teachers, parents, and the Department of Education Services,” the DES added.
Support services, such as counselling and nursing, are readily available to assist affected individuals, the statement added.
“The DES and CHHS are committed to sustaining these measures until DEH confirms full remediation of the air quality odor issue,” it said.
The parent, however, said to date the school has not released any information nor are they acting on the concerns of the teachers or parents.
“They’re ignoring the problem. They’re risking kids’ lives,” she said.
This is not the first complaint levelled at Clifton Hunter since the academic year commenced in January.
In March, there were concerns about the air conditioning system at the school due to a major leak in the underground pipes carrying chilled water to the system.
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