Mysterious Outbreak in Houston School Scare Community

txsvicki · Sep 18, 2007

http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/091807/sta_091807073.shtml

HOUSTON - It is a medical mystery and a parent's nightmare: Something is making people sick inside a Houston middle school. So far, no one knows what it is.

The school district says the air is clean and that children and employees should show up for school. But an increasing number of parents and teachers say they are afraid to go inside the building or to send their children there.

Since the first day of school on Aug. 27, more than 15 teachers and seven custodians have suffered from severe headaches, chest pains, breathing problems and vomiting while inside Francis Scott Key Middle School. Last Wednesday, several teachers were taken by ambulance to a hospital. Others - under doctor's orders - have missed days of work.

The article doesn't say just how many children are ill but I imagine it's alot since 15 teachers and 7 custodians are ill, taken away in ambulances, or ordered not to work by their doctors.

goddess · Sep 19, 2007

How pathetic the school is saying it is safe to come to school. Until they find out what is making the people sick, shut it down!!

JBean · Sep 19, 2007

Oh I wonder if they have a rat or rodent problem. Sounds like Hanta Virus.

philamena · Sep 19, 2007

The school better be darn sure that things are safe before encouraging teachers, other employees and students to return. How about cleaning product reactions and air mold? And like JBean suggested how's the rodent problem? And what about pesticides?
This is a scary situation.

montana_16 · Sep 19, 2007

If the superintendent says it's so safe, then I suggest he set up camp in there for 3 or 4 days to show everyone how safe it is. Oh and bring his whole family.

imthemom · Sep 19, 2007

I wouldn't be sending my child if they went to school there. I would say my child will be home schooled until you can assure me there is no problem.

Kymistry35 · Sep 19, 2007

Unless they could prove to me it's safe, my children would not be there. We had a problem last year at one of the schools in my town. People were coming down with mysterious rashes and hair loss, but no one knew what it was. It went on for about 3 months and then just stopped. A LOT of parents were refusing to send kids to school.

bnhall · Sep 19, 2007

Hmmm...that's interesting. I'm surprised the school district is setting itself up for a lawsuit like that.

j2mirish · Sep 19, 2007

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

montana_16 said:
If the superintendent says it's so safe, then I suggest he set up camp in there for 3 or 4 days to show everyone how safe it is. Oh and bring his whole family.

great post/idea------

sherri79 · Sep 19, 2007

my daughters first 6 weeks of kindergarten were a nightmare of head aches, ear infections, and nose bleeds. they had decided to remove the old drop ceiling at the school and had not yet replaced all of it. the school said no other kids had this problem so they felt the building was not involved. my little girls doctor bless his soul wrote a letter saying he felt my daughter had a allergy to this building and must be moved for medical reasons. within 2 weeks at her new school she was fine. she is in 7th grade now and she still has seasonal allergies but not one nose bleed or ear infection since. i really hope these kids and teachers get help soon. how can you really expect anyone to learn or teach in that much fear?

Lesleegp · Sep 19, 2007

There was a similar incident here a few years ago. Everyone was getting sick at a particular high school, administration insisted it was safe. After huge boycotts by students/parents, they brought in some environmental folks who found black mold EVERYWHERE in the school, but in places that weren't visible on a day to day basis. The school was immediately closed and the students finished the year having their classes in the suite boxes at the Bristol Motor Speedway.

Taximom · Sep 19, 2007

JBean, Hanta Virus was my first thought too. It could be in the ventilation system.

Info about HV:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hanta/hps/noframes/transmit.htm

Sable · Sep 19, 2007

Could it be some kind of gas leak? My sister works for the local children's library, and about 6 months ago a gas leak was discovered there. She had been getting sick nearly everyday until the leak was found. After they fixed it, she was fine.

angarella · Sep 19, 2007

Yep, I am thinking black mold too. My kids would not be going until they figured it out.

philamena · Sep 19, 2007

Any news about this today?

KR2tonenow · Sep 19, 2007

txsvicki said:
http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/091807/sta_091807073.shtml

HOUSTON - It is a medical mystery and a parent's nightmare: Something is making people sick inside a Houston middle school. So far, no one knows what it is.

The school district says the air is clean and that children and employees should show up for school. But an increasing number of parents and teachers say they are afraid to go inside the building or to send their children there.

Since the first day of school on Aug. 27, more than 15 teachers and seven custodians have suffered from severe headaches, chest pains, breathing problems and vomiting while inside Francis Scott Key Middle School. Last Wednesday, several teachers were taken by ambulance to a hospital. Others - under doctor's orders - have missed days of work.

The article doesn't say just how many children are ill but I imagine it's alot since 15 teachers and 7 custodians are ill, taken away in ambulances, or ordered not to work by their doctors.

When the school starts getting lawsuits regarding this severe health scare and nothing has been quarantined off. Then maybe they will, "SHUT DOWN THE SCHOOL!!

froggierintexas · Sep 19, 2007

They should just do what one of the schools in Galveston County did when it wasn't ready in time for the start of school, field trips. They sent the kids to the Space Center, Bowling, etc for a few days. Then they could really inspect everything and make it safe in Houston. Houston has plenty of places to take the kids to learn outside of school. And the kids would love it.

Maral · Sep 19, 2007

philamena said:
Any news about this today?

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5149729.html

Sept. 19, 2007, 8:21PM
Houston ISD temporarily closing school with air quality concerns

© 2007 The Associated Press

HOUSTON The Houston school district is temporarily relocating students and teachers from a middle school where more than 22 staff members have fallen ill in the last four weeks, a school official said Wednesday.

District officials plan an "invasive systems study" of Francis Scott Key Middle School to determine whether air quality issues are to blame for the severe headaches, chest pains, breathing problems and vomiting suffered by at least 15 teachers and seven janitors since school began Aug. 27. Some parents have said their children are ill and have refused to send them to school.

philamena · Sep 19, 2007

Maral,
Thanks so much for the update!

Thankfully the students and staff of the school are being relocated.

txsvicki · Sep 20, 2007

I'm glad there's going to be a relocation but couldn't help but notice "some" students. I guess the public doesn't deserve to know just how many are ill even if not hospitalized as some of the teachers chose.

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