CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Buses rolled in, children walked out, and some parents even escorted the little ones to the kindergarten through eighth-grade school.
Some had no second thoughts, like grandmother Cheryl Knotts.
“Yeah, no issues,” she said.
Others, like mother-of-three Lindsey Ford, had plenty of questions.
“We’re concerned,” Ford said. “They’re closing off certain rooms but that doesn’t make me feel very confident in the kids’ safety. I want my kids to have a safe place to learn and grow.”
Still others, like parent Stephanie Littlejohn, took a wait-and-see approach.
“Long as he’s fine, it should be fine for now until it gets worse then I’m transferring him,” she said.
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) had testing done for the invisible, odorless, potentially cancer-causing gas after a staff member had health concerns.
According to the EPA, any radon levels higher than four picocuries per liter should be addressed and Tremont Montessori had four areas in the school basement with elevated levels, including the gym.
“They’re blocking him from the (affected) classrooms, trying to keep it away from him,” said father Anthony Laboy about his understanding of the situation.
“I can’t just pull them out,” said Ford on her decision to send her kids to school. “I love this school. I love the teachers, I love the Montessori education they’re getting. They love going to school.”
CMSD said the mitigation has already begun.
“We’re trusting that they’re doing what they need to do to fix the situation,” said Ford.
Another round of tests will happen over the weekend with the school closed Friday and Monday for Presidents’ Day.
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