Parents Of P.S. 50 Students Express Concerns About PCBs
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Some Staten Island parents are expressing concerns about PCBs, this time at P.S. 50 in Oakwood.
A Department of Education spokeswoman said PCBs leaked from light ballasts in two classrooms.
In the past several years, PCB leaks were found in hundreds of schools around the city, prompting officials to come up with a plan to replace all light ballasts containing the material within the next few years.
While the leaking fixtures were replaced at P.S. 50, parents said they're still uneasy about the whole situation.
"They did want to put the kids back into the classroom today, but a few of the parents stood up and said, 'No, we don't want our kids in that classroom,'" said Patricia Kroski, a parent of a student at P.S. 50. "We don't know, at this point, what's going on."
"We're frightened for their safety," said Carolyn Simone, a parent of a student at P.S. 50. "We don't know what the long-term effects are on this. We've done some research, and we understand these vapors cam emanate into the classrooms and throughout the hallways and throughout the entire school."
The DOE has not responded to questions about whether tests will be performed at the school, but a spokeswoman did say P.S. 50 is now on the priority list for getting new light fixtures.