Mold in the walls interrupts molding student minds

Mold found in Mrs. Snow's math class upstairs, and maintenance is being done downstairs in the 1600 hallway. Photo by Ciera Thompson

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Written by Johnny Parker

After seasonally heavy rains in early February, mold developed in Mrs. Cassia Snow’s math classroom, causing her to evacuate her room and move to a portable outside.

“What once had started as just a swollen windowpane filled with water, slowly turned into a small leak, and that leak then turned into growth along the back of my classroom wall,” recalls Snow. “I was hesitant to forward the information to the administration, until some of my afternoon classes began to complain of the smell.” Snow says she didn’t smell anything personally, but relates to the fact that she hadn’t been in any other room all day. The following day, Snow decided to put in the report.

“At first I e-mailed maintenance, who then forwarded that message to Dr. Santa Cruz. Within about 20 minutes I had received a message back stating that I would be moved into a portable until the problem was resolved,” said Snow.

Snow’s classroom is now blocked off, and has a protective sheet of plastic along the back wall to prevent anyone from going towards the back of the room. A few days after the incident, a similar outbreak occurred downstairs near the 1600 hallway due to a busted pipeline. Administration found mold along the back wall and also marked off that area until further notice.

In 2007, a similar situation happened at Corona Del Sol in Tempe. Due to poor ventilation and heavy rains they received, mold, smelly classrooms, and high levels of carbon dioxide were detected. Corona debated on whether or not to close school until the matter was solved and luckily was given emergency funds to fix the problem.

As the mold scenario unfolds, Snow remains hopeful, “Dr. Santa Cruz was very helpful in my situation and said the problem would be solved soon. He has my utmost confidence in what he says will be accomplished.”

The question still remains however on the amount of possible growth. April showers bring May flowers. . .and the possibility of more mold?