A local teacher is now hospitalized and and scheduled to be airlifted due to what she claims is negligence.
Teacher Cleopatria King-Defreitas is alleging that her sickness stems from a mould infestation at the Ivan Dawson Primary School and took to social media to express her concerns.
The Facebook post stated “teachers are definitely suffering with the mold situation at IDPS. People can sit back and talk what the hell they want but we are the ones suffering.”
The frustrated teacher further said “I’m laying in a hospital bed for one week now waiting to be airlifted out with an iv in my neck bcuz of negligence. It’s time for action!”
Ms. King-Defreitas claims that this is not the first time that she has suffered at the hands of a mold infestation. She said a similar occurrence happened at the Isabella Morris Primary school before she was transferred to IDPS.
When contacted by our newsroom today, the Minister of Education and Culture, Natalio Wheatley said the Ministry has plans to address the issue.
Honorable Wheatley said “the Ministry of Education takes the health and safety of its employees seriously. With the support of the Ministry of Finance, we are initiating a new round of mold cleaning in our schools. Ivan Dawson is among the schools that has already been assessed, and thorough cleaning should be completed shortly.”
Mold infestation seems to be a recurring issue at many schools across the territory. We have seen the force closure of schools as some have fallen ill due to exposure.
Though a serious issue, residents are convinced that enough hasn’t been done by successive governments to alleviate the concerns.
Reports show the primary health hazards for mold in schools include asthma, allergies, mild to severe respiratory infections, eye irritation, and rashes, like eczema.
Ms. Defreitas is hoping that her passionate appeal will inspire positive changes to benefit the schools across the territory.
