Mould mayhem

An Edith Dalton James High School teacher, who has been off the job for three months on sick leave, is blaming her illness on “mould infestation” at the institution, claiming that the administration is not addressing the issue with any urgency.

Anntana Allen, who has been teaching at the Duhaney Park, St Andrew-based school for 19 years, said the condition, which is believed to be caused by leaky roofs, has been making her sick for the past two to three years.

She said the situation has forced her to call in the public health inspector to assess the 47-year-old structures that make up the school, some of which have visible water damage.

“They got the report two Fridays ago, and up to now, they have not told the staff what is in the report,” Allen told The Sunday Gleaner last Monday.

She said students are being taught in waterlogged classrooms affected by mould, but they are unaware of the potential health risks. Because of this, she said their parents are also in the dark.

Mould – a type of fungus that thrives in damp, humid conditions – can cause various health issues. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to mouldy environments may lead to symptoms such as a stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing, wheezing, red or itchy eyes, itchy skin and rashes. People with asthma or mould allergies may experience more severe reactions. Immune-compromised individuals and those with chronic lung diseases are also at risk for lung infections.

Severe reactions, such as fever or shortness of breath, may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of mould in occupational settings, the CDC also said.

Allen claims that the condition at the school has sent her to the hospital “too many times” and has now forced her to remain on sick leave.

However, there has been no confirmation on whether there is mould at the school and that this is what triggered the educator’s challenges though a medical certificate presented to the school suggests that this is the case.

mould kills

“People don’t know that mould kills. It also goes into your lungs, and it triggers asthma and sinusitis, and that’s what was happening to me.

“I have sent in email, WhatsApp from October 2; I’ve been down there (Ministry of Education); I’ve spoken to the senior education officer. He put something in long term, but I’m saying, what about the short term?” said Allen.

She said the school’s administration has had to relocate the office of the vice-principal because of mould.

Still, she said nothing was being done to safeguard students or alert parents to the potential health hazard.

“Because it’s poor people’s children, nobody cares,” she said.

Approximately 1,200 students are registered there, with 76 staff members.

The Jamaica Education Transformation Commission’s Reform of Education in Jamaica, 2021 report ranked the school among low-performing institutions, with only six per cent of students attaining Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate passes. Only one per cent attain a Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination diploma.

Acting Principal Angella Lafayette-Thompson told The Sunday Gleaner that she was “not aware” of any mould infestation issue affecting students and staff.

Further, she said no report had been brought to her attention regarding mould-related health concerns affecting the school community.

She said only one teacher – Allen – has been on sick leave since September.

“However, this teacher has a documented history of taking extended periods of sick leave over the years,” Lafayette-Thompson, who has been in the position for four years, told The Sunday Gleaner on Tuesday during a visit to the school.

“Edith Dalton James High School remains committed to ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all staff and students. Should any concern arise, we’ll address them properly and transparently,” she added.

Asked about the assessment conducted by the public health inspector and the outcome, the acting principal said she was told that “mould-like” matter is present, but she said that no conclusion had been made on whether mould is at the school. She said tests were ongoing.

Pressed about the report, which The Sunday Gleaner was told was submitted weeks ago to her and the chairman of the board, Lafayette-Thompson suggested that it remained outstanding.

“They have taken it (sample) for testing, and the test is to come back. But even if mould should come back as being here, the school is 47 years old, and we have severe leakage, and the school roofs don’t need to be repaired. They need to be changed,” she said.

Lafayette-Thompson acknowledged that several classrooms and labs are affected whenever it rains, disclosing that the school board and education ministry are aware of the situation. She said the areas which leak, including her office and the office of the vice-principal, have developed “discolouration”.

Approximately $3 million is needed to address the issue, which, she said, the board has decided to cover and seek reimbursement from the ministry.

She acknowledged that the vice-principal’s office was among the areas tested for mould.

frequent leaks

“But even if that should be the case, where there happens to be, you know, … . Because of the frequent leaks, and so on, there’s no form … ,” Lafayette-Thompson said, trailing off, before insisting, “I can categorically state that is not true. That is not the issue [behind Allen’s illness]. I have never received a complaint from any student or any teacher regarding that, and that’s a fact.”

She said she intends to poll her teachers on the matter.

Two other teachers at the school, with whom The Sunday Gleaner spoke on condition of anonymity, said the roof leaks and mould issues have made teaching and learning difficult.

One of the teachers said the matter being raised now is an “age-old” one, disclosing that what she believes to be mould “is all over the wall in the staffroom and several other areas of the compound”.

She said, too, that there are leaks everywhere and in every classroom.

“The whole place – teachers’ desks, teachers’ books and materials – have been compromised. Everywhere is leaking. Classrooms are flooded as soon as the rain comes. Every room – the art room, the industrial arts room, the canteen, the auditorium. Every single place is leaking. Nobody seems to care. Nothing drastic has been done about it. Nothing to alleviate what is going on,” the teacher said.

The other teacher expressed a strong belief that her illness, which began in November and has continued since, was triggered by mould.

She said tests are to be done to confirm whether this is the case, indicating that she fell ill while at work, where she experienced extreme difficulty breathing.

She said she was placed on antibiotics by her doctor, who confirmed that her lungs had been infected.

The development coincides with a protest last Thursday at Stony Hill Primary and Infant School in St Andrew, where teachers staged a sick-out over leaking roofs and mould infestation. This forced the early suspension of school.

The Sunday Gleaner contacted Grayson Hutchinson, the chief public health inspector for Kingston and St Andrew, but he said he could not comment on the matter because he has been out of office on leave.

The Sunday Gleaner was unable to reach anyone at the Kingston and St Andrew Health Department as the telephone rang without answer after several attempts.

In email correspondence seen by The Sunday Gleaner, Ottis Brown, the Ministry of Education’s director for Region 1, acknowledged the issues of roof leaks and mould.

“Please be informed that steps are being taken to address the leaking roof issue at Edith Dalton James High School, which I understand is responsible for the mould situation affecting some parts of the institution.

“Please note, however, that the process will take some time. In the meantime, we are looking into the best short-term solution to apply to get the mould challenge under control,” he said in a December 5, 2024, email to Allen, who complained about the issue.

The Sunday Gleaner was unable to reach Brown by telephone on Friday for further comment.

Staff representative at the school Karl Dunkley confirmed that other teachers have reported being ill when contacted by The Sunday Gleaner. He said the teachers believe that this may be due to mould.

reported lung-related issues

He confirmed that one teacher reported lung-related issues after visiting her doctor. He said other teachers have reported severe headaches and other issues while some have been ill but had made no report.

“The report from the health inspector, which has not yet been shared, did suggest that there is mould, and I am very concerned about this,” said Dunkley, who sits on the school board as the staff representative.

He said he has contacted Member of Parliament Anthony Hylton about the matter and has also spoken to the education ministry’s regional director and the chairman of the board.

Dunkley said an email to the acting principal about the issue went unanswered.

“I am very concerned about it, especially the fact that these teachers who are affected would have spent a lot of time in the staffroom. There is mould in other rooms, but people don’t spend as much time in those as they do in the staffroom.

“I am also very concerned about the students. I love them dearly. These are poor people’s children. I have reached out to the student rep to inform him that there is the issue with mould and for him to act on this,” he said, noting that Edith Dalton James is not a traditional high school where parents are active within the school community.

“That is one of the issues. Parents are not very involved or know what is happening in the lives of the students,” he said.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com