INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - Decatur Township wants to know if one of its schools is responsible for making some teachers ill. An investigation is getting underway at Decatur Elementary Learning Center.
According to school superintendent Dr. Matt Prusiecki, a “third party” contractor will examine the school’s air, water, and soil as well as the medical health histories of willing employees.
“The fact that we had staff develop their own illnesses of sorts, we wanted to vet that out to see if there is any connection,” he said.
Any connection, Prusiecki said, to four educators who have developed various types of tumors since 2018. One tumor was cancerous. School administrators became aware of the most recent case two weeks ago.
Although the superintendent believes any connection is unlikely, "due to speculation by faculty or community members and the fact that has picked up traction."
"We would rather get ahead try to dispel it and find something of truth as opposed to sitting back and letting it play out,” Prusiecki explained. “The perception or speculation that there could be any type of connection, why not go forward and support out staff and start checking that out?”
The more than 1,300 students of the Decatur Early Learning Blue and Gold Academies share one large school building.
Eyewitness News heard from several parents who wanted to remain anonymous, but are understandably concerned. They want to know if the school is safe for their children or if they should move them to another school.
“Why? There is no reason to do that,” Prusiecki insisted. “The children are safe. If my child attended the school, he would stay there as well.”
Work is already beginning. The superintendent hopes the study will have answers for school employees and parents by the end of the school year.