Headaches, nosebleeds, fatigue and dizziness — parents at one Long Beach elementary school are sounding the alarm over symptoms plaguing their children — accusing the school district of failing to take their children’s mysterious illnesses seriously.
About 30 parents and children protested outside Monroe Elementary School Friday morning, calling for answers about what’s making students sick at the campus, which is serving as a temporary home for nearby Patrick Henry Elementary while it undergoes upgrades.
“We have EIGHT more months of school, and we deserve to send our kids to school with zero doubts that there is cause for concern,” said parent Katie Jakemer on her social media.
The symptoms have been concentrated in one fourth-grade classroom, parents told the Long Beach Post. The district acknowledged in a letter to families that the classroom teacher experienced dizziness and four students suffered nosebleeds.
The school hired an outside company to test the classroom’s environment. The report found temperatures as high as 102.6 degrees, elevated humidity and low levels of some pollutants, including carbon monoxide.
But parents say the findings have done little to ease their concerns.
“They’re just keeping us in the dark,” said Ricky Marengo, who said his daughter has suffered headaches. He said the district didn’t give out the full report until parents complained.
Jakemer also questioned whether the testing went far enough, noting that the report recommended follow-up mold sampling. She claimed boxes and paper materials were not moved during the inspection.
“This issue is not resolved,” she said.
Despite the concerns, the Long Beach Unified School District said some students who were temporarily moved out of the classroom would return Monday.
“Given that the report found no indoor source of mold or evidence of water damage, the District does not plan further testing at this time,” the district said in a statement.
The response has left families demanding additional testing and a second opinion from an expert. Some parents said they are keeping their children home until they get answers about what is making students sick.
“I want to be able to drop her off and know she’s safe,” parent Sofiya Tormo said of her daughter.
