Gaston Co. commissioners to talk about repairs after mold at schools

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Gaston County Commissioners were slated to talk about a plan to make several repairs to Gaston County Schools on Thursday night.

Last week, Eyewitness News reported staff members found mold covering old exercise equipment at Stanley Middle School. They cleaned it up, but since then more parents have reached out to Eyewitness News concerned that it could be in other places.

Amanda Helms sent a picture to the newsroom that she believes is mold under her daughter's desk at Stanley Middle School.

"We want to make sure the school's properly tested and treated for the mold," Helms said.

The district found mold in at least three public areas of the school. Each time maintenance workers cleaned it up. A spokeswoman for the district said they're going to make sure those areas stay clean and continue to check anything parents ask about.

"The frustration has boiled over a little bit to where parents are really worried about the safety of their children's health," said Chad Brown.

He and other commissioners planned to talk about giving more than a million dollars to the school district. Leaders want the money to go toward various school repairs and Brown will propose that some of it go to Stanley Middle School.

"I think we use some of the rest of the money to do mold remediation or something that may be needed up in that Stanley middle school," Brown said.

Parents said they hope the funds can pay for a more thorough check of the school and an air test.

"I just want to make sure all of our children are safe," Krystal Greer said.

WSOC