KDFW-TV
Jose 'Joe' May Elementary School, Dallas.
Jose 'Joe' May Elementary School, Dallas.
Jose 'Joe' May Elementary School, Dallas.
Jose 'Joe' May Elementary School, Dallas.
Jose 'Joe' May Elementary School, Dallas.

Newly opened Dallas elementary was built on contaminated soil, report says

Oct. 21, 2016
Jose “Joe” May Elementary School was built on soil contaminated from a gas station and dry cleaners.

A newly built elementary school in the Dallas district was constructed on contaminated land, a local TV station reports.

KDFW-TV reports that the contamination at Jose “Joe” May Elementary School, which opened in August, is serious enough that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has stepped in to oversee cleanup of the property.

The concern stems from contaminated soil left behind by a gas station and dry cleaner that operation on the site from the 1960s to 2012. Public records show the school district is monitoring the air quality inside the school for harmful chemicals and has been doing so for months. Out of 227 schools in the district, May Elementary is only one being monitored by the TCEQ for contaminated soil.

Environment reports show some district officials have known about the contaminated soil for at least two years, even before the school was approved to be built In April 2015, the district hired a company to excavate 350 cubic yards of soil from the school site, after the district held a ceremonial groundbreaking.

Then, at the instruction of state regulators, the Dallas district installed a vapor barrier system at the school. Chemical levels inside the school were below levels believed to cause harm and are not a concern.

In response to the news report, May Principal Israel Rivera posted a message on the school's web site that says: "Please do not focus on any negative media regarding the safety of our students. Our school is environmentally safe for our students and staff."

The district also has posted environmental quality reports on the conditions at the school.

Video from KDFW-TV:

Sponsored Recommendations

How to design flexible learning spaces that teachers love and use

Unlock the potential of flexible learning spaces with expert guidance from school districts and educational furniture providers. Discover how to seamlessly integrate adaptive ...

Blurring the Lines in Education Design: K–12 to Higher Ed to Corporate America

Discover the seamless integration of educational and corporate design principles, shaping tomorrow's leaders from kindergarten to boardroom. Explore innovative classroom layouts...

Room to Learn: Furniture Solutions for Education

Preparing students for the future. Utilizing our experience in the education market, we offer a dynamic selection of products that pair technology with furniture to help stimulate...

Transforming Education: A Case Study in Progressive Classroom Design

Discover how Workspace Interiors and the Baldwin School District reshaped learning environments in Long Island, New York, creating pedagogically responsive spaces that foster ...