A speech therapist from the San Mateo-Foster City School District recently began an investigation regarding the piping that was in her classroom.
Victoria DeLuca thought the pipes in her classroom looked strange and after taking matters into her own hand, discovered that the heating ducts were wrapped in asbestos.
School Questioned
In 2005, Highlands Elementary was supposedly given a clean bill of health regarding asbestos, however the asbestos that was wrapped around the classroom’s piping was missed.
Officials from San Mateo-Foster City School District claim they followed the guidelines when dealing with the asbestos, but the found carcinogen raises questions about whether they did enough.
Illegal Testing
In October, a district worker reportedly took off a piece of the piping insulation while DeLuca was present, using no protective gear.
Later in the month, the district officials announced that asbestos had been found in Deluca’s classroom, which could have potentially been exposed to the children.
“That’s 11 days we were continuing to be poisoned,� explained DeLuca.
The school is now undergoing proper care for asbestos removal and the classrooms have remained closed since the most recent findings.
Dangers of Asbestos Exposure
When inhaled, asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses, such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis.
The symptoms of exposure often go undetected for 20 years or more.
