Canyon View Middle School back in session following CO exposure
IRON COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — Canyon View Middle School in Cedar City will return to session Wednesday after multiple tests deemed the building safe for occupancy.
Iron County School District Superintendent Lance Hatch said the district would not open the school unless they knew it to be safe.
“These are our students, our colleagues and for many of us, our own family members,” Hatch said. “We would not knowingly put those we love — or those trusted to our care — in harm’s way.”
Last week, several students required medical care after a carbon monoxide contamination at the school. As a result, the school moved to virtual learning Monday and Tuesday so it could be tested for harmful gases.
PREVIOUSLY: Cedar City middle school to have remote learning days following CO exposure
The district said it is certain the air was contaminated because of a remodeling project near the D Hall. Although the district does not know how it occurred, it believes exhaust from gas-powered equipment entered the building.
An independent group is investigating the construction area and protocols are in place, the district said. In the meantime, no gas-powered tools are allowed in the building until it determines the exact cause of the contaminated air.
The district acknowledged various social media posts insisting district and school leaders are not telling the truth, saying “that is not the case.”
“District and school administrators understand the frustration of not being able to visually pinpoint and fix a cause,” the district said. “We are confident in the safety of the school.”
The district also said attendance is an individual matter and parents will make the ultimate choice to keep their child at home.
School officials said that it will respect parents’ decisions on the matter, noting that teachers will work with parents and students to ensure they stay up with their coursework should they choose to stay home.
Various testing concluded the carbon monoxide detectors at the school “are and were functioning normally,” and investigators detected no airborne hazards, the district said.
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