Lodi Unified OKs emergency repairs at McNair after flood; teachers report lingering moisture and mold concerns

The Lodi Unified School District Board of Education on Wednesday approved a resolution to authorize emergency work at Ronald D. McNair High School following flooding earlier this month.

The resolution, presented by district staff, passed with a board vote recorded as 6 yes and 1 absent. The board earlier publicly recognized custodial, maintenance and facilities staff and outside contractors for their rapid response; the district said the campus was able to reopen about a week after the incident.

Why it matters: Teachers and parents who spoke during public comment said reopening did not end safety concerns. "Two plus inches of water" reached classrooms during the flood, and at least one classroom showed a confirmed mold finding, teacher Erin Chesterbrough told the board. Chesterbrough said she is teaching while wearing a mask because she is asthmatic and that her classroom still registers elevated humidity and visible wall bubbling after repairs.

Superintendent Young acknowledged the district's swift restoration work and told the board a second air-quality test by an industrial hygienist ‘‘confirmed the school is safe’’ three days earlier, but he also told teachers to report ongoing issues to site administrators or the plant supervisor so they can be addressed. At the meeting, Young and board members agreed to provide additional reporting about site safety and remediation steps.

What was approved: The board approved the emergency-work resolution authorizing immediate repairs and remediation actions at McNair. The motion was made and seconded by board members in the meeting, and the recorded outcome was "motion passes" with the same 6–yes, 1–absent tally recorded for related personnel votes earlier in the agenda.

Voices from the site: Teacher Erin Chesterbrough presented photographs and described ongoing moisture; she said baseboards had been replaced but suspects residual moisture behind cabinets and urged removal, antifungal treatment and further inspection. Another speaker, Shannon Hagan, recounted the district's decision timeline for returning staff and students to campus and said the rapid return left teachers with insufficient time to prepare classrooms.

What comes next: Board members requested an after-action report and follow-up information from the superintendent and plant staff on air-quality testing, remediation steps taken, and any outstanding repairs. The resolution itself funds emergency repairs already underway; the board did not set new timelines publicly at the meeting.

Sources: Comments and presentations from district staff, Superintendent Young, and teachers speaking during public comment at the board meeting.