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Mold Concern Sparks Student Walkout At Westhill HS

Students at Westhill High School in Stamford staged a walkout on Monday morning as they protest ongoing mold issues in the building.

Westhill High School

Westhill High School

Photo Credit: File

Hundreds of students took to the football field shortly before 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 10, after a message was circulated amongst students. During the walkout, students were advised to wear black and green, and many brought picket signs protesting the conditions at the school.

The walkout comes days after a Board of Education meeting where it was announced that dozens of teachers filed worker’s compensation claims over mold-related symptoms. The Stamford Mold Task Force, which was established to battle the ongoing problem, has said that the building needs a new HVAC system.

School officials said that they’ve conducted some air quality testing in the building and have cleaned up classrooms of concern. Schools Superintendent Earl Kim and principal Michael Rinaldi were at Monday’s walkout to supervise the students.

"We recognize and respect students' desire to express concerns regarding the environment of their school,” school officials said in a statement. “Not every student may be aware of the work of the Mold Task Force.

“Over the past few months, with regard to WHS specifically, our first priority was to address any visible and surface mold issues as soon as possible. While there was some evidence of visible mold growth in limited areas, there has not been significant visible active mold growth in the building."

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