Students, parents speak out over bed bug and mold fears – PAHomePage.com

PRINGLE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU-TV) Parents and students are sounding the alarm about bed bugs and mold concerns at a Luzerne County school.

Some students say they will not return to school until they are confident the problems are resolved. Parents and students of the West Side Career and Technical Center (CTC) reached out to the I-Team saying that not enough was being done to rid the school of bed bugs and mold. School officials insist they are doing what is needed to take care of the problems.

I thinkthey can do a little bit better with it, said Andrew Hartmann, a seniorat West Side CTC.

Andrew Hartmannand Emily Davis say they and many of their classmates at the school are fed upwith bed bugs and mold. Photos sent to Eyewitness News by another student showwhat appears to be bed bugs. Another photo shows stains on walls inside modularclassrooms.

I thinkthey should spray the whole school, said Hartmann. I know its not going tosolve the whole problem but if someone is bringing them in, they can spray thewhole school and the next day its already back in. They should try to figureit out and whos bringing them in and narrow it down to certain kids.

Theydont like do anything to help the students they just say theyre going to takecare of it, said Davis. Then they just spray, and it comes back again. Theydont talk to students about it they just let it go.

School administratorDr. Tom Duffy says they are taking steps to address both problems.

Parents should be veryconfident that weve been working directly with our pest control managementcontractor who has performed a complete inspection in the treated areas inaccordance with best practices, he explained.

Theyre also going one step further. He says early next week, pest control will be back with a K-9 student unit to inspect the building for insects. Duffy says suspected mold in the modular classrooms was removed.

We had air quality testingdone in those units and all came back in a manner that allows us to use thoseclassroom spaces, he explained.

Dr. Duffy says some 700 people come into the school each day which can lead to problems with bed bugs. However, he insists this school is safe.

School officials point out that at no time was there ever a consideration to close the school to deal with these issues.

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Students, parents speak out over bed bug and mold fears - PAHomePage.com