Parents Tell Health, Safety Concerns Over Classrooms

A meeting Monday to discuss the health and safety aspects of new portable buildings at Carl H. Hankey Elementary School drew more than 50 parents concerned about seizures by two students last month.

Capistrano Unified School District officials told parents that there is no evidence linking the portables to the seizures. They said that one of the students had previously suffered seizures and that the second student has been medically diagnosed with epilepsy.

Teacher Becky Bradbury, in whose classroom the two third-graders are enrolled, said there has not been an unusual level of illness in her classroom.

“Other than these two instances, it’s really been status quo, and I haven’t noticed any change at all,” Bradbury said.

But 15 of the parents said their children had experienced headaches and nausea.

William D. Eller, associate superintendent, said: “Obviously, we’re concerned when parents are concerned with the health and safety of children.”

Eller said tests for formaldehyde will be conducted by Dr. Joseph Fedorak of UC Irvine’s School of Medicine today and Wednesday.

A survey will also be sent out to about 120 parents today to determine whether their children have experienced any symptoms since being assigned to one of the four portables in January. Eller said parental concern may be heightened because strong odors in two portable classrooms at Truman Benedict Elementary School in San Clemente reportedly made one teacher and dozens of students sick last year.

A series of tests conducted by the Orange County Health Care Agency and Fedorak revealed no dangerous levels of toxins at Truman Benedict.

“We’re learning from these experiences,” Eller said. “We do know that certain individuals are more sensitive to chemicals in the air than are other individuals.”

Eller said the district is in the process of developing guidelines for “outgassing,” a standard procedure for new portable classrooms that accelerates the natural release of gases from compressed materials such as plywood.

The school, which has 780 students, has 16 portable classrooms. There are more than 500 portable classrooms being used throughout the district.