Parents in San Diego County are demanding answers after the Poway Unified School District (PUSD) failed to promptly notify them about mold found in classrooms at two of its schools. The district sent an email to parents on August 22, informing them of mold discoveries at Black Mountain Middle School, ten days after students had already returned from summer break on August 13.
Varying levels of mold spores, from low to high, were detected in more than a dozen classrooms at Black Mountain Middle School. While the district stated that rooms were cleaned on August 10, a "musty odor persisted in some areas." Some teachers were observed wearing N95 masks due to the mold found in carpets, desks, and other locations.
Tests indicated that eight classrooms had low levels of mold, two had moderate levels, and four had high levels. The district has since conducted further cleaning and remediation over a weekend, including carpet cleaning, antimicrobial wiping of surfaces, cleaning air registers, and replacing HVAC filters. The district is investigating the carpet cleaning procedures that took place before the school year began as a potential cause for the mold.
This situation mirrors a similar incident at Del Sur Elementary, another school within the PUSD. The start of the school year for Del Sur Elementary students was delayed by one week due to "moisture-related concerns" identified earlier in the month. These students were temporarily relocated to a different campus, with an anticipated return to their home campus by September 21. Parents at Del Sur Elementary were informed of the delay through a letter from the principal.
Parents who contacted local news outlets expressed frustration, noting that mold had been found at Black Mountain Middle School previously and questioning why they were not informed about the current problem before sending their children back to school. Principal updates posted on the middle school's website during August did not mention the mold discovery.