Texas School District Ponders Asbestos Fix

Having extra money to spend is almost always a good thing, and a Texas school district that recently found itself with a financial surplus is considering using it to address a longstanding asbestos problem in its schools.

The Abilene Independent School District is currently sitting with more than one million dollars in unused bond funds. In a recent school board meeting, a plan was proposed to address dangerous asbestos products that have long been documented in some of the district’s schools. Because the buildings for most of the schools were built between the 1950s and 1980s – a time period in which asbestos was commonly used in construction – many asbestos products still remain in the buildings today, and have only been painted over in order to keep any fibers from loosening.

"We track [asbestos levels in the schools], we know where it is and every year we go on we have less and less of it in the district to track," said AISD member Joe Humphrey, according to KTXS.

Four school campuses were listed as sites that would undergo asbestos abatement work if the plan was approved – Abilene High School, Cooper High School, Madison Middle School, and Mann Middle School.

However, one obstacle that still remains is the cost of the asbestos removal, which would cost significantly more than $1 million. The Board of Education is currently considering the plan, along with other potential uses for the money.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma that can be attributed to asbestos exposure that occurred at a school, call Sokolove Law today to learn more about potentially pursuing a mesothelioma lawsuit.

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