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I don't know how much they will or should spend; it will be very interesting to find out. If the school board remains transparent about the issue, schools statewide will benefit in the long run. Wouldn't it be nice if we were open about our goofs so that the same problems wouldn't happen over and over and over again? I don't know what the issue is at Oak Ridge, but I guarantee that other schools could learn and save money by an open, thorough investigation. So the cost of investigation may pale in comparison to what the same issue (whatever it is) could end up costing taxpayers statewide--or nationwide for that matter.

So far there appears to be transparency and a real concern. Anyone like myself with allergy problems, kids and wife with asthma and allergies and carpets at home in the south knows how difficult it is to eradicate these things. Everything so far comes back as what one might expect from a school with moisture issues and remediation. Tests show mold, but not abnormal for the environment, kids show signs of allergies and their related symptoms which can be from mold or related environmental factors from a school surrounded by large natural growth areas. I hope the carpet remediation works, it will somewhat lesson the environmental contributions but anyone chasing these things knows the answer may be many things contributing to many varied reactions to many individuals.

Some of our remediation’s may create other environmental issues, dehumidifiers in air conditioned closed environmental systems can cause nose bleeds, headaches even nausea for some on certain medications. Our new construction is so energy efficient and sterile in some ways that it can create very unhealthy environmental conditions. Another variable is that individuals react very differently to different environmental conditions creating a “chase the case” attack on the problem, fixing for one contributing to another problem. Epoxy sealed concrete flooring, while very industrial has very little negative environmental contribution when fully cured. Have yet to find an environmentally neutral ceiling material for school environment and sealed concrete brick walls are wonderfully neutral if kept clean. Different types of ductwork can actually contribute to problems. Anyone in the business will tell you, even the perfect environment gets ravaged when you put people inside the system. Yes, there are problems, is the environment unsafe, I doubt it. Does it have an effect on those attending, yes, most apparently it does. Now we must work together to find the common denominators and weed out psychosomatic and nonspecific-environmental effects to find probable environmental issues to deal with.

In the Board meeting it was brought up there was a termite problem that had been dealt with. I recalled an article about termites and their ability to create various amounts and variations of methane gas, an odorless, colorless byproduct of their digestive system along with other byproducts created by decomposition of their leavings. (here in the south we are termite prone), Almost all of the symptoms I have heard at the school matched the effects of exposure to methane gas, also found in unusual quantities in horse and dairy barns closed during winter for heat. I inquired if methane levels had been tested they had not, but I doubt that the solution is that simple as it would require more termites and more serious damage than we are currently aware of. I bring this up as there is a myriad of cause and effect possibilities that could drive a person batty (another negative environmental creature).

I do not believe there is a cover up, I hate cover-ups with a passion. Having fought this environmental fight and still not won it completely at home with the best air handling money can buy, I can honestly say, no easy answer may be there. I know we will not stop until the environment can be made more reliable or all possibilities are exhausted.

You seemed wonderfully informed! I was wondering if you knew anything about the duct system in the school. Is there fiberglass ductliner? It seems to me that IF the IAQ is problematic, that also raises questions about the air supply system.