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OXNARD, Calif. () — Hundreds of students in Oxnard are starting the school year at unfamiliar campuses after Ramona Elementary School was closed days before classes began because of a potential health hazard.
Parents at Ramona Elementary were notified about two weeks before the start of school that their children may have been exposed to mold after the school sustained severe water damage.
To read the full letter from the superintendent, click here.
Citlali Ayala, a parent, said she is concerned about the impact on students.
“I’m extremely worried about my children’s health– not only their education, but how they feel!”
Ayala also questioned how the situation developed and whether concerns had been addressed earlier.
“Why did it come to this point where now the school is completely unable to be? It’s unworkable, and now everyone has to go to different schools.”
“How many years has the school experienced this? How many years have the faculty complained to the board and their superiors and have not been heard?” she asked. “we need to know where this came from, why this happened. I need to know why my kids have asthma out of nowhere.”
Some students have reported headaches and nosebleeds. Ramona Elementary did not open for the school year, and students have been split among four other campuses.
The transition has created additional challenges for families. Isabel Contreras, a parent, said transportation problems left her uncertain about her child’s whereabouts.
“So for those 10 minutes, she did not know where my child was, and that’s not excusable at all to tell a parent, ‘Oh, I’m not sure if your child is on the bus or not.'”
The district said the first sign of water damage was reported in November. Months later, there is still no timeline for when students might return to the campus.
For some families in the community, the disruption comes amid other concerns. Contreras said some parents are hesitant to speak publicly.
“A lot of our parents are nervous to say something because they don’t want to be around ICE and that whole situation that’s going on, so a lot of our parents are not speaking, but, you know, some of us that are able to speak will be speaking on behalf of them,” said Contreras.
The district said it is moving forward with repairs and reconstruction at Ramona Elementary. However, some parents say their confidence in district leadership is eroding.
“If they don’t really care about their walls in their classrooms, do they really care about their education?” asked Ayala.
A neighborhood council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Chavez Elementary School cafeteria. Ramona’s new principal is expected to discuss the closure.
7 reached out to the Oxnard School District for comment and is awaiting a response.
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