
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 28, 1993                   TAG: 9304280387
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ARLINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

AIR QUALITY CITED IN TEACHER ILLNESS

Some teachers at Kenmore Middle School say they believe classroom renovations are responsible for fatigue, nausea, miscarriages and other health problems at the school.

Air-quality tests found unusually high levels of carbon dioxide, but no other abnormalities, prompting school officials to speculate that the problems could be related to mold, dust or pollen.

But the more than two dozen teachers who met last week with county school officials disputed that theory. They said the symptoms appeared when renovations began 18 months ago, and many sick teachers recovered during spring break before relapsing after classes resumed.

"I have been totally incapacitated this year," said Barbara C. Talmage, 28. She said her symptoms include hair loss; sleeplessness; and eye, nose and throat irritation.

David P. Murphy, assistant superintendent for facilities and operations, said faulty air intake valves on the heating and air-conditioning systems appeared to be responsible for poor ventilation in some classrooms. Several of the valves have been replaced and air flow in those classrooms seems to have improved, he said.

by CNB