Parents Concerned About Students Returning To Westland H.S.

A number of parents on Monday said that they were uneasy about their children returning to Westland High School on Tuesday.

A strong odor hospitalized more than a dozen people last week, and officials said that they have not located the source of the smell, 10TV’s Jason Frazer reported.

The school was evacuated Feb. 13 and 14 last week and was closed through Monday.

Parent Regina Gibson said that she was frustrated.a

“If it happens again, I think I’ll scream,” Gibson said.

Parents said that they did not blame administrators for not knowing the source of the odor.

“They’re probably doing all that they can,” Gibson said. “It’s stumping them, too.”

A spokeswoman for the South-Western City School District said that they hired two outside agencies to inspect the school and perform air-quality testing.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office also was involved in the investigation.

Parent Laura Atkinson said that she did not smell anything when she toured the school on Monday night.

School officials allowed parents to visit he school and ask questions between 6 and 7 p.m.

Michelle Hoffman, whose son is a senior, said that she left the meeting with more questions than answers, Frazer reported.

Hoffman said that she wondered if the odor was a senior prank.
 
“What concerned me is if they smelled it the first two days, why can’t they smell it any other days?” Hoffman said.

Gibson said that she still was concerned about sending her children back to school.

“Yes, it’s frustrating and it drives you really crazy, but you have to think about your kids’ safety first,” Gibson said.

School officials said that they would continue testing the building on Tuesday, Frazer reported.

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