Parents Press Chicago School Board Over Carbon Monoxide Leak At NW Side School
CHICAGO (CBS) -- People upset over a carbon monoxide leak at a Northwest Side school that sent dozens of students to the hospital took their frustrations to the Chicago Board of Education today.
On October 30, roughly 80 children plus nine teachers became sick because of a malfunctioning boiler at the elementary school.
The nearly century-old boiler at Prussing is a problem that exists at roughly a hundred other schools, says LSC member Phil Huckelberry, who also used worked at an HVAC company.
He says parents at all CPS parents should start asking questions at their local school councils about their heating systems, engineers and carbon monoxide detectors.
While 45th Ward Alderman John Arena is confident there won't be another leak at Prussing, he says classroom temperatures still range between 90 and 60 degrees.
He says the district is not good about communicating, so he wants a list of what's happening with the boiler and for the state fire marshal to conduct an independent audit.
At a meeting Monday, CPS CEO Forrest Claypool apologized to Prussing parents but said they don't need a new boiler because they've made repairs.