April 29th, 2008

The discovery of asbestos in one California school may close the school down forever. Though the type of asbestos found was not dangerous, the way the discovery was handled may result in the school closing.

A private school in California may now be closing after asbestos was found during renovations. Though the asbestos found was not friable, or able to become airborne, parents and faculty are upset over the way the discovery was handled. While volunteers were removing ceiling tiles from a school breezeway, asbestos was discovered. Parents and faculty were not informed for two days, and the type of asbestos present was not found for more than a week.

Asbestos is not dangerous unless it is a friable type, becoming airborne when the material is disturbed. Breathing in airborne asbestos can lead to emphysema and mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer. Asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma can take decades to manifest and is often times terminal when diagnosed. Parents and faculty say that if the asbestos had been dangerous, they could have been exposed for more than a week before school officials would have known. Ten teachers have quit and almost one third of students have been withdrawn from the school.