From: rpschoon**At_Symbol_Here**hotmail.com Subject: mercury- final questions Date: November 21, 2007 7:06:36 PM EST All- Having met with some admin. on Monday, angering them/ calling them out to account/ and having the audacity to say mercury did indeed spill in the classroom over a 38 year period (admin. quote: "we don't know that mercury spilled in that room"- to which we called the former retired teacher and he admitted that he, of course didn't break any thermometers himself but students did on occasion.....), I got a hearing with the Supt. He was open, responsive, and read every article you all had sent me on the subject overnight. We discussed drain traps, floor cracks, my chem closet, etc. An email was sent out that very night to notify our other middle school in the hypothetical district said they would be testing ALL rooms previously used as science classrooms in both of our middle schools (the other school had a teacher using mercury thermometers up until June 2006 for many, many years as well). We will be using (as the email stated): "Pursuant to a concern raised by a science teacher, xxx and xxxx have arranged for a mercury testing company to test each of our science rooms in both schools for mercury as we do not know what may have happened in the past when thermometers broke" "The rooms will be tested during the winter break using a Lumex 915 that is very sensitive to mercury vapors. Each room will be heated to 85-95 degrees, the temperature at which mercury vaporizes." Not sure what a Lumex 915 is.... Questions: 1. Should this teacher be concerned about mercury having been brought home with him somehow? (he has small children) 2. This teacher is considering going to the Dr. to make sure mercury isn't in him (any suggestions or thoughts? The teacher has been in the room since a year ago August 2006). 3. A rolling table with storage drawers was removed and taken to another science room, I am going to suggest testing this room/ area as well (yes/no?) 4. Does "Pursuant to a concern raised by a science teacher..." in the email make me the bad guy or am I just reading into this thing? 5. Any other "CYA" advice? The teacher has confided in another science teacher (present throughout all the meetings ), the union rep of the building, and his teacher mentor- all trustworthy and "get it" as far as gossip containment/ not getting everyone all worked up in the district or community. I was considering speaking to the president of the teacher's union so that in the event of something coming my way, I don't have to spend time getting people up to speed on these events (comments?) Again, I appreciate you all and have taken much comfort in your expertise and concern. How can I join ACS?! Rob Schoonveld
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