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Teachers' union asks federal agencies for health-hazard review after teachers report mold, HVAC failures
Summary
The Elizabethtown Area Education Association requested a comprehensive health-hazard evaluation (CDC/NIOSH) after teachers reported mold, HVAC problems, bats and related health complaints; the union said it will seek independent air quality and microbial testing.
Elizabethtown, Pa. — The president of the Elizabethtown Area Education Association urged the school board on Tuesday to act quickly after educators reported ongoing building problems that the union characterized as health hazards.
Jim Safford, president of the Elizabethtown Area Education Association, told the board the union has documented "peeling paint, creeping mold along ceiling tiles, and HVAC systems that fail to maintain constant temperatures," and said members have filed medical complaints. "These are not just inconveniences. These are health hazards," Safford said. He announced the union will formally request a comprehensive health-hazard evaluation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, seeking air-quality testing, microbial analysis and structural-safety reviews.
Safford framed the request as a response to what he described as repeated promises and short-term fixes: "We are done waiting for patchwork fixes and empty promises. Our members deserve to work without fear or illness." He said the union will ask for independent, federally backed and transparent testing.
Multiple public commenters also raised facility concerns during the public-comment period, calling for quicker remediation and raising liability questions. Board members acknowledged the comments; during closing remarks President Steven Lindemuth said the district is exploring a reporting system—potentially a QR-code tool—to gather facility-issue reports from staff and the public.
The board did not announce a district-commissioned health study at the workshop. Safford said the union will submit formal requests to CDC and NIOSH and pursue independent testing to document alleged environmental and safety problems.
