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Lehighton Middle School Plans Asbestos Removal

LEHIGHTON — Lehighton Area Middle School plans to undergo a construction project during the school’s Thanksgiving break. School officials said that ...

LEHIGHTON -- Lehighton Area Middle School plans to undergo a construction project during the school's Thanksgiving break.

School officials said that project will be done to remove asbestos inside the building in Carbon County.

The middle school building supervisor, Kevin Long,  said the removal is not an emergency and students are not in danger.

The asbestos is being removed for a long-term goal, a proposed multimillion dollar renovation project.

"A better learning environment for them with the least amount of impact to disrupt everything by having the school closing down while their doing it," said Long.

The school said an environmental group will remove the asbestos during Lehighton Area's five-day Thanksgiving break.

No students will be allowed in the school at the time.

"There shouldn't be any incident at all, because they go in, the stuff is removed, the rooms are cleaned and tested before, during and after the abatement," said Long.

Middle school officials said they agree with parents that the students are the number one priority, but some parents say they disagree with the timing of the removal. They think this time of year isn't the best idea.

"I'm all for making it safer, but I just don't think with all the debris and things like that. I mean, we live in a bad area with allergies and things like that, and to add something like that into the air, I just don't really think it's a good idea," said Jemima Snyder of Lehighton.

Snyder has a son in the middle school.

She said the project should have been done during summer recess, instead of a shorter Thanksgiving break.

"I just don't think it's enough time to take care of the problem thoroughly," said Snyder.

Other parents said, as long as the removal is done correctly, five days should be enough.

"If they have the allotted time that they can get it done safely and the kids will be safe to get back into school, I mean, they can do it, it's not a big deal," said Sally Hess of Lehighton.

Middle school officials said they will meet with parents about the asbestos removal at the middle school Monday at 5:30.

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