Mold fears prompt school testing

ROSWELL, N. M. (KRQE-KBIM) - Goddard High School parents concerned toxic mold may be sickening their children have convinced the Roswell Board of Education to conduct more tests of the building.

This will be the fourth air-quality test since the issue arose. The earlier tests all found air within the school to be safe.

But after more parents started coming forward with stories, claiming toxic mold in the school is making their kids sick, the district has agreed to one more test and hired National Medical Advisory Services Group to perform it.

Questions about the air quality in Goddard surfaced when one of its students, Paige Taylor, became very sick. After extensive testing her doctors determined the cause to be toxins from mold.

Her father, Paul Taylor, then launched his own investigation and Web site and filed a lawsuit against the district for more testing.

Roswell Independent School District Superintendent Mike Gottlieb said he hopes the fourth test will put an end to worries that the building is making kids sick.

"We're going to give them just full rein of the building and have them go at it," Gottlieb said. "Not give them much direction at all. Just say, 'Find out if there's a problem.'"

Gottlieb also said he's invited the Taylors and invited them to have their experts monitor the process if they wish. There was not word on whether the Taylors will accept that invitation.

The testing is expected to begin in the next couple of weeks although it's not known when the results will be available.