Over last month’s spring break week, asbestos was detected in one of Liberal’s elementary schools. USD 480 Director of Auxiliary Services Alan Haskell said the toxic insulation was detected during an installation process at MacArthur Elementary School.
“For the past six to eight months, we’ve been going into the different schools and putting electrical outlets in the ceiling for ceiling mounted projectors,” he said. “It’s been a long process. The company accidentally cut four small electrical outlets out in the ceiling in the round structure at MacArthur.
As soon as we found out about it, we called Thompson Environmentalists.” Haskell said that company performs six-month and yearly inspection at USD 480 schools. “As soon as we found out, we isolated that area,” he said. “We called (David Thompson) in. He came in within 30 minutes. This was the Tuesday morning that we came back to school.” Haskell said this took place during the week of March 17, and he was notified on March 21 by MacArthur Principal Shawna Evans that one of the teachers had found the asbestos.
Mesothelioma & Asbestosis Mortalities Across the US: 1979-2001 (c/o EWG)
“We have seen first-hand how asbestos has wreaked havoc on Americans working in naval shipyards, automobile plants, and the construction industry. Most often this is through their employers’ conscious choice for profits over a worker's health.”
-- Joseph Patrick Williams, a trial attorney in the Asbestos Litigation department of Weitz & Luxenberg
Asbestos, MacArthur Elementary and Kansas Health Depatment