We are poisoning our children. Every school day, we send many of our kids into schools stinking of mold, exposing them to contaminants every bit as dangerous as toxic chemicals or radiation.
Research shows that mold can cause allergic reactions similar to hay fever.
It can trigger asthma, skin problems, fatigue, headaches, memory and verbal problems, malaise, depression, nausea. Certain strains are so virulent that they've killed infants. Charleston County's schools are especially prone to mold because of inadequate maintenance, Hurricane Hugo and the Lowcountry's sweatbox climate, according to architects, doctors and experts in indoor air quality. You can see the evidence on the black ceiling tiles and smelly carpets at North Charleston High School, on the walls at Ashley River Elementary School and in the ducts and air conditioning systems at Laing Middle School. Across the district, parents report that their children are sneezing, wheezing and generally miserable because of bad indoor air.