West Mount Airy's C.W. Henry School shut down due to asbestos
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Another Philadelphia school is suddenly being shut down after the discovery of damaged asbestos.
C.W. Henry joins a growing list of schools in the district closed due to the presence of the hazardous building material.
"Oh, here we go again," Monica Frichtel, a mother of three C.W. Henry School students, said.
Frichtel's three children – a kindergartener, third grader and eighth grader – all attend the West Mount Airy school.
She's scrambling to come up with arrangements now that the school is temporarily shut down due to damaged asbestos discovered during a recent inspection.
"It's scary, right? Because how long has it not been safe? And if it's so unsafe that they can't be in there, then how long it's been unsafe and they have been in there?" Frichtel said.
On Saturday, the principal sent parents a letter about the asbestos saying: "The damage identified above the ceiling tiles on the first floor hallway requires our school community to shift to virtual instruction for the next two weeks," forcing parents like Fritchel to juggle work and child care.
"I am a teacher and I have to be on campus several days a week. My husband has to work during the day as well. And so it's, suddenly we're having to figure out who can take time off," Frichtel said.
Within the last two months, several other district schools in Philadelphia have also been shut down due to damaged asbestos.
Building 21, Frankford High School and Mitchell Elementary are still closed.
Two charter schools, Simon Gratz High School and Gratz Prep Middle School have since reopened.
"It's really alarming, especially because we don't even know the degree to which our kids were exposed," said Jennifer Liboon, who has two kids at C.W. Henry. "We weren't given air quality levels prior or what necessitates an emergency response."
It was a response that was sudden, but one many parent says it was the right decision.
"They're taking the steps they need to and obviously it's not safe for the kids, so I'm glad that they're doing what they're doing," Mike Stevens said.
Virtual instruction begins on Tuesday and goes through May 5.
It's unclear if the school will be ready to open after that.
