By Starly Richards,
Staff Writer.
Recently, there has been rampant speculation about what exactly is going on in the computer lab in the upstairs Main Building. Students have noticed that both of the entrances to the lab have been blocked and there are signs warning about the dangers of asbestos, a naturally occurring fibrous mineral. Inhaling asbestos can lodge the fibers into your lung tissue and may cause cancer. The possibility of asbestos has frightened some students as they are already aware of its presence in the tunnels under the school.
To clear up any concerns, the room is blocked off because it is being used for a bond project where the district is using some of our unused classrooms to prototype and get feedback on the district’s design for their state of the art classrooms of the future. They will contain entirely new furnishings and technology designed to improve the classroom experience for both students and teachers.
Once approved, these classrooms will gradually be implemented across the district. The initial design will be revealed to teachers on Nov. 1, but renovations may continue for some time afterwards. Once the design is finalized, they will be used as any other classroom would, most likely by history teachers.
So why the ominous “Danger: Asbestos” signs? In a school that has been around for as long as Santa Rosa High, asbestos is almost guaranteed, but as long as it is contained, it poses no threat. California law states that if the concentration of asbestos is above 0.1% then contractors must get the space cleared prior to performing renovations.
As the rooms were stripped of their wallpaper and carpeting, they found that there was asbestos that may have been capable of spreading and damaging student or faculty health. ”They tested before they did that; then they did the asbestos removal during weekends when students were not here; then they tested again to make sure the asbestos was gone,” said principal Dr. Mark Ryan. The classrooms being renovated no longer contain asbestos; the signs are simply left over from when the asbestos was a possible threat.
On Sept. 4, Dr. Ryan sent out an email explaining what is going on with those rooms and why the signs are in the doorways, in his own words. He stated, “At no time were any students or staff exposed to any asbestos,” and provided additional information about the construction happening. He confirmed that the school would never intentionally allow students to be exposed to asbestos and would do whatever necessary to keep them safe.
