CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Science experiments at Cleveland High School involving fumes have been suspended because a teacher and some students reported becoming ill, city Schools Director Rick Denning said.
Dr. Denning told the Cleveland School Board on Monday that he learned of the problem only last week.
“I don’t want to expose any of our teachers and students to health issues,” Dr. Denning said.
Since last year, a group of parents, teachers and board members calling itself the Science Focus Group has been working to plan and fund a science building. Science labs that now are scattered about the high school aren’t equipped for 21st century science instructions, the advocates’ group has said.
“This just further underscores the need,” school board member Bill Brown said.
Dr. Murl Dirksen, also a board member, said he understands the reason to stop those experiments but asked Dr. Denning for alternatives until the science building is ready.
“It’s going to be a year lost and I’m concerned about that,” Dr. Dirksen said.
Focus group members said they may be able to get a ventilation fan from a local industry if the board will agree to pay for installation.
Also on Monday, the Cleveland City Council agreed to dip into its $500,000 allocation for the science building to pay for preliminary design work. Last week the board picked Upland Designs, of Crossville, Tenn., to design the structure.
Representatives of all four architectural firms that sought the design work told the board and Science Focus Group members the building should face south on Raider Drive and become a new community front for the school. They all agreed the building should incorporate the latest energy-saving designs, including plenty of natural light.
City Manager Janice Casteel told council members that a bleak budget picture is emerging for the next fiscal year and funding for the project, estimated between $5 million and $6 million, is in doubt.
“I don’t want to throw a wet blanket on the project, but I want you to know what we are facing,” Mrs. Casteel told the council.
Randall Higgins covers news in Cleveland, Tenn., for the Times Free Press. He started work with the Chattanooga Times in 1977 and joined the staff of the Chattanooga Times Free Press when the Free Press and Times merged in 1999. Randall has covered Southeast Tennessee, Northwest Georgia and Alabama. He now covers Cleveland and Bradley County and the neighboring region. Randall is a Cleveland native. He has bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University. His awards ...
