Following an asbestos violation at her daughter’s junior high school, a Missouri mother removed her child from the school, transferring her daughter to a private school in the area. This is the second removal of a student from a public school due to asbestos-related issues in the Columbia, Missouri area this year.
Christine Doerr decided to remove her daughter Maria from Jefferson Junior High School after the school violated a federal asbestos rule and asbestos was allegedly present in the plaster ceiling of a room in the school.
On February 26, traces of the mineral were found in a sample from the ceiling following a renovation project, revealing between 3 and 5 percent asbestos in the ceiling sample. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) considers anything greater than 1 percent a cause for alarm.
The DNR said the school was in violation of an asbestos rule because an asbestos inspector did not adequately examine the room prior to the start of renovations.
Maria Doerr’s asthma and allergies contributed to her mother’s concerns about her health. “I would much rather Maria would have never been exposed to asbestos,” said Christine Doerr.
Due to the asbestos violations, the school was required to hire a fulltime air-quality inspector. Doerr notes that this precaution has likely made the school much safer.
“I think Columbia Public Schools are safer now probably than they’ve ever been,” said Doerr.
The Environmental Protection Agency notes that any level of exposure to asbestos is unsafe as exposure to the mineral has been linked to the development of serious illnesses including asbestosis and mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
A patient with malignant mesothelioma typically takes 20 to 50 years to demonstrate symptoms of the cancer which may make diagnosis difficult. The late expression of symptoms often allows the cancer to spread to other areas of the body before it is detected and treatment options are pursued. Though a cure for the cancer does not exist, a patient may elect to undergo treatment to combat the disease which may alleviate symptoms and improve prognosis.
Additional information about asbestos exposure and mesothelioma may be found through the mesothelioma Center.