A Florida attorney recently held a meeting to address the Jackson-Madision County School Board regarding investigating the asbestos issues he believes to be plaguing local schools.
The attorney, Richard Fields, claims that asbestos, a harmful substance known to cause deadly cancers like mesothelioma, is present in over a dozen of the school system’s buildings.
“This is your first warning,” stated Fields, who is representing several plaintiffs in a desegregation lawsuit against the Jackson school board. “We’re going to investigate more. Every person that has been exposed to asbestos will be tested for any kind of lung disease. (If they have asbestosis) we’re going to sue you. Each lawsuit will cost you $300,000.”
Attorneys Tour Schools Exposed to Asbestos
Fields and other attorneys recently toured Jackson Central-Merry High School to help determine the condition of its facilities. They did so as a step toward coming to some sort of resolution about the issue of student assignment under the desegregation agreement. During their time at the school, Fields reportedly requested to see JCM’s basement, also known as its fall-out shelter. He claims that at the bottom of the staircase, there is a warning sign that hangs from the ceiling advising that there is a potential risk of asbestos in the area.
Fields told the board that they must address the issue as soon as possible or suffer the repercussions. “You’ve got to get rid of the asbestos, and at JCM you may have an entirely contaminated school,” he told them. “I think the school board should hire a national expert and have every school tested.” Fields announced in the meeting that he fears the school, and others in the same condition, has never been tested for asbestos or other contaminants. With support from fellow attorneys and parents of the students who attend these schools, Fields is calling for immediate action in the cases involving asbestos exposure.
