As first day of school approaches, Poway Unified finds mold in classrooms following complaints

Poway Unified School District is investigating mold concerns at one of its elementary schools after receiving complaints from parents and teachers, including some who claim the conditions are causing health problems. 

More than 300 people have signed an online petition calling for an “immediate and thorough process of mold removal and comprehensive testing” at Del Sur Elementary, and at least one parent has raised concerns that her daughter’s illness may be linked to mold exposure at the school.

A district spokesperson confirmed that testing conducted last month by an outside contractor found mold on the carpets and floors of six of the roughly 20 classrooms and spaces tested, and that crews fixed the issue with antimicrobial cleaning across the entire campus.

Officials determined the issue was not caused by moisture but by “cleanliness,” according to the district. The school’s air filters will be replaced and walls will be scrubbed before the campus reopens from summer break in just a couple weeks.

But Del Sur Elementary has faced mold concerns before, with officials taking a series of actions over the past year in response. In August 2023, testing detected what the district described as “common” molds in a classroom that was caused by “water intrusion from the exterior through the window.” 

Crews took part of a wall down, cleaned it thoroughly and resealed the window to resolve the issue, said Christine Paik, the district’s chief communications officer, and the issue “did not pose a material risk” so they did not notify parents.  

The district also replaced flooring in a restroom and pressure washed other areas of the school following concerns from a parent.

A teacher at the school told inewsource that staff have spoken up at several meetings about facility conditions — complaints like wet spots in several rooms and hallways when it rains, suspicion of mold in some air vents, classrooms and restrooms and a mildew smell throughout the campus.

“It smells like mold, like really bad,” said the teacher, who inewsource agreed not to name over fears of retaliation. 

“I’m not looking for anything but to come to work and be healthy and safe and not get sick and not have to watch my students get sick.”

Mold dangers

Mold is a fungus naturally found in environments where there is moisture and oxygen. At schools, it can grow on many surfaces, including carpet, tile, walls, ceilings, insulation and around windows, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

To grow, mold needs water, which can enter buildings through structural openings, such as leaky roofs, pipes and windows. The EPA said humid conditions and a lack of air conditioning or heating can also contribute to mold growth.

Mold exposure can cause a range of symptoms, including asthma attacks, sneezing, runny nose, skin rashes, red eyes, dizziness and headaches. The symptoms can appear when an individual is exposed to mold, and disappear after leaving that environment, said Dr. Eric Macy, an allergist and immunologist who has worked at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California for more than 30 years. 

Macy said in general, finding growing mold in a generally healthy patient is rare and happens when a person has a dysfunctional immune system. In those cases, it can lead to death, he said. 

Because the condition is rare, Macy said doctors typically only conduct a blood test to determine whether growing mold is present in the body for patients who are acutely ill. The antifungal medication is given to patients with growing mold in their body and would be “very bad” if given to individuals who don’t actually have the condition because it’s “quite toxic,” he added. 

Macy said individuals who have health concerns linked to mold exposure should seek a qualified allergist and immunologist who can determine whether they have allergies to mold and can evaluate the immune system for any deficiencies. 

Kristen Montan said she and her daughter have seen at least three specialists about her symptoms. Montan said it was like “clockwork” — her daughter regularly started the new school year at Del Sur Elementary in good health, but by the winter, health problems would return, including chronic headaches and a skin issue. 

“It’s really been traumatic,” she said. “I’m not being dramatic about that.”

Montan said the specialists treated each of her daughter’s health concerns individually according to their focus and without linking symptoms to any suspicion of mold exposure. Results of a June blood test that a doctor of osteopathic medicine ordered for her daughter showed she had tested positive for a mold allergy or sensitivity, though the test is not approved by the Federal Drug Administration. 

Montan, who started the online petition calling for Del Sur Elementary to take action, said she wants school leaders to take the concerns seriously. Her daughter is now headed to middle school.

“I really want the school to make this right, do the appropriate testing, not take the easy way out, the cheapest way out,” Montan said. 

Next steps

Poway Unified said officials are taking the mold concerns seriously and responded “immediately.” The classrooms where mold was detected were retested Monday and the results should be available to the district after four to five days, Paik said. 

Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning areas were also tested, but results show no concern, she said.

“Our goal is to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all students and staff at Del Sur Elementary,” Paik said. 

Community demands action on potential mold

Hundreds of people have signed an online petition calling for the Poway Unified School District to take specific action on the mold complaints they’ve received:

• Have an accredited third party test for mold throughout the entire school. Tests must include an air quality analysis and moisture meter and temperature readings, including samples from wall cavities and of its HVAC system.
• Remove mold and remediate it according to guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which includes discarding and replacing any porous surfaces like carpet and drywall that may be contaminated by mold.
• Apply EPA-approved biocide to kill remaining mold spores and use filtration equipment throughout the remediation process.
• Hire another third party for post-remediation clearance.
• Release any findings and reports before the start of the school year.
• Allow parents to pay out of their own pocket to test their child’s classroom for mold in order to ease any of their concerns. 

Interim Superintendent Greg Mizel joined other school leaders in late July to talk with concerned families at a local homeowners group meeting. The school will also host a walk-through of the campus for families ahead of the school year once testing and cleaning is done.

Students return to the campus Aug. 21. Officials do not anticipate needing to relocate any students or staff.