WOODVILLE – A recent posting to a Woodville-centric social media page drew concern within the community over an alleged black mold infestation within the new Woodville Elementary building, which is still under construction.
The post, which was published to the “What’s Going on in Woodville” page last Monday, drew concern from several individuals. It was posted by a man named Jake Ducote, along with photos depicting mold on walls.
Ducote claimed the mold is being covered up by the district, and that it is being painted over, with an explanation given that “it is just mildew.”
Woodville ISD responded to the claims made in the post as “false and misleading.”
“Environmental specialists have confirmed there is no concern with black mold in the new building,” a statement from the district reads.
The district explained that the new building is unconditioned, with no power or HVAC, and so it is not uncommon for some mildew and/or fungus to develop.
Ducotte, who stated in a post that he works on the site, claims there is no remediation going on, and that the building is “full of black mold.” He also claimed that efforts such as running heater and dehumidifiers have proven ineffective.
Gallagher Construction, which is the contractor in charge of the project, has been working with DCG Environmental since early February to address the issues, according to WISD.
Additionally, the district is seeing that air quality testing is being conducted and that all measures are being implemented to treat, mitigate and prevent affected areas, with regular checks and inspections, according to the district’s statement.
Although conflict on social media has continued between Ducotte’s account and the statement from the district, WISD is still planning to utilize the new elementary campus by the next school year, which begins in August.
