Mold contamination found in 7 classrooms

NEW YORK (WABC) -- After first saying there is no mold problem, the Department of Education later found the contamination is widespread, infecting seven classrooms at a school in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

You can imagine the concern parents have after learning that these classrooms have been shut down because of mold.

"I was shocked because I feel the school should have been closed down until everything was completed," said Tracy Grillo, parent.

Now Tracy Grillo is learning, along with other parents and students that cleanup of mold, in MS 577 is not complete and will continue throughout the weekend.

This sudden move comes after school officials say test results revealed, "Seven classrooms on the fifth floor contained spores of a type of mold (stacybogtrys chartarum) that requires remediation."

"Mold is present in classrooms. There have been ongoing water infiltration issues," said Lincoln Restler, district leader.

Sharing those seriously concerns, Tracy Grillo and other parents rallied outside the school but before they learned of the latest test results and the contaminated classrooms.

"This week 20% of our students have been taken out of school because of fear for their safety," Restler said.

Grillo has kept her daughter and son out of the school.

"With the asthma he won't be able to breathe right, and he's been coming home with a lot of headaches. So I don't want them in school because I feel the problem might get worse," Grillo said.

Her daughter Christina Peralta also feels ill.

"I get headaches and I feel really, really nauseous and I feel like I am going to throw up," Peralta said.

School officials say, "We will be performing deep cleaning in all these rooms as well as using air purifiers. We will test again Sunday."

But, Grillo worries about her children's' education.

"My daughter gets tutored every day for ELA lessons. My son's graduating from the 8th grade and it's not fair they can't be in school because I'm worried about their health problems," Grillo said.

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