SANTA ANA : Suit Alleges Unsafe Conditions at School

A group of Catholic school parents filed suit against the Diocese of Orange on Tuesday, alleging that a parish priest who runs St. Joseph School in Placentia threatened parents and students while allowing unsafe environmental conditions to persist at the school.

The suit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, seeks $1 million in damages and asks that the court order the Diocese of Orange to allow an outside toxicologist to examine classrooms for possibly unsafe toxic levels.

According to the lawsuit, the parents want the school shut down pending completion of the tests. In the past several months, the parents allege, several children in one classroom have become ill from noxious fumes that appeared to emanate from the light fixtures.

Brother William Carriere, associate superintendent of Catholic schools, declined comment on the lawsuit and referred questions to the Diocese of Orange.

“It was investigated by the parish,” he said. “I was not asked to be on the committee, so I don’t feel I can speak about anything.”

Officials at the Diocese of Orange could not be contacted late Tuesday.

Teresa Carey, an attorney for the parents whose 5-year-old daughter is named as one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said that 22 children became ill last month after exposure to fumes in one classroom.

“They were removed from the classroom complaining of dizziness, nausea, burning eyes, disorientation and coughing,” she said.

The parents allege that diocese officials were aware of the presence of noxious fumes on the premises but did nothing. The lawsuit also alleges that the Rev. John E. Ruhl, the priest at St. Joseph Church, has intimidated children, parents and teachers at the school.

Ruhl could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.

According to parents, diocese officials appointed a committee to investigate the allegations of misconduct. However, when the diocese failed to take further action to investigate allegedly unsafe conditions at the school, the parents opted to file suit.