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DISD Middle School In Session Despite Mold Problem

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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – School is in session at Sarah Zumwalt Middle School despite ongoing airborne mold problems there.

But despite air quality concerns, students will stay on campus until winter break then attend classes at Maceo Smith High School starting next semester.

Parents aren't happy about it.

"They should have moved them earlier, they should have moved them earlier cause a lot of kids have asthma, they should have moved them earlier," said concerned parent Pat Cotton.

The district said conditions inside the school aren't at a point requiring students move immediately.

"They [students] are still there today because we don't think there's an imminent danger in that building," said Dallas ISD Operations Chief Scott Layne, "It is an unhealthy building, relative to spore count, but it's not a life threatening situation."

More than 400 children attend the school where the high levels of mold spores were found. The district said the believe the air quality concerns are part of a ventilation problem in the building. They will begin a renovation and repair operation next week.

Many parents seemed surprised by all of this, many telling CBS11 they were unaware of any environmental health threats in the building.

"I'm very concerned, I did not know until you approached me right now and I am concerned because I know the problems causing the mold," said parent Imelda Luciano.

(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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