mold-symptom.com

Nothing is more important to Bill Sozanski than protecting his children - not even his job. An accountant in Fairfield County, Sozanski said he was laid off in part because of all the time he and his wife Judy spent during the last year fighting the problem of hazardous mold in public schools on behalf of his daughter April, 11, and son Will, 8.

The Sozanskis weren't alone in their fight. They and dozens of other parents formed the Canary Committee to bring attention to the issue and to lobby Hartford for a solution. Their children, known as the Canary Kids, appeared before the General Assembly last March to plead with lawmakers to take action.

The Canary Kids spoke out because they had suffered. Sensitivity to mold led to rashes, respiratory problems, sores and a myriad of other health concerns for these students. The Sozanskis, for example, rushed Will to the hospital twice because he could not breathe. They likely could relate to Ona-May Slauson of Bethany, who lived the same nightmare with her daughter Cassandra last week.

Most of these children missed much of their formative years in school. They were pulled from school as early as kindergarten or first grade and taught at home, not because their parents believed in homeschooling, but because the children were sickened by classrooms infested with mold. These children felt isolated and unliked. They had few friends. Sadly, Cassandra now finds herself in an identical situation.

To ensure that children with mold allergies can attend school without suffering, the Canary Committee, led by Fairfield teacher and Newtown resident Joellen Lawson, lobbied for a new state law requiring school systems to address mold problems in public buildings.

The legislature passed the bill - An Act Concerning Indoor Air Quality in Schools - last session, and Gov. John Rowland signed it into law.

Such efforts undoubtedly will help children like Cassandra, whose mother has heard from Lawson and others throughout the state who have been through ordeals like the one they experienced last week.

Yet, the new law doesn't go far enough in Sozanski's opinion, and the Canary Committee's fight is not over. Sozanski said he would like to see stricter rules on creating an air quality program in each school district and more frequent testing (the law now mandates air quality testing in the schools every five years).

"We're definitely going to go back," said Sozanski. "This is really a good first step. This is definitely a work in progress."

Such a work in progress deserves the support not only of lawmakers, most of whom already stepped up to the plate, but also of parents. Just because your child is not sickened by mold in their classroom does not mean the problem should not concern you. After all, their sensitivity may develop over time.

All parents should lend their support to the Canary Committee and urge the legislature to ensure that public schools are kept clean and safe for all children. More importantly, parents must demand that officials in their local districts address any potential health problems in the schools quickly.