School Board Votes to Remove Asbestos During School Year

November 16, 2006 - The West Des Moines (Iowa) School Board voted 5-1 this week to go ahead with plans to remove asbestos from Valley High School while school is in session.

With only one dissenting vote, board members chose to proceed with a plan that allows asbestos removal at the outdated high school to begin during winter break and continue during the spring months. 

The Des Moines Register reports that the only critic of the plan was board vice president Barbara Burnett.  In a prepared statement she read before the vote, Burnett said, "I believe this project should be done during the safest time period, which is during the summer. ... There is no treatment for asbestos exposure. Risk to any staff and students is just too great."

Last month, the board held an informational meeting, led by a panel of experts, that explained the procedure for removing the asbestos and the precautions that will be taken to insure the safety of those in and around the building during abatement of asbestos-containing tiles and adhesive.  Parents who attended the meeting were told that the risk to their children is extremely low.

Tom Wuehr, environmental specialist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), attempted to ease the concerns of parents who attended another meeting held last week, at which there was much heated debate with board members.

"We're all breathing asbestos every day," said Wuehr, a member of the DNR's air quality bureau. "Those that have gotten a large amount of exposure over a long period of time are those who we have found that have asbestos-related disease."

The board insists that abatement cannot be delayed until the summer months because such a delay would add as much as $1 million to the cost of the renovation project.  Some community members believe, however, that the extra cost is acceptable if it means a safer environment for the students and staff.