Police officers again were called onto the Garvin Tynes Primary School campus after irate parents swarmed the school yesterday demanding to take their children home.
They claim there is a confirmed case of tuberculosis involving a second grade student.
Parents say the grade two class, as well as some teachers and support staff were tested, but they feel the entire school should have been tested.
After a two hour wait, parents were taken to a private meeting to allay their fears. However, one parent insists the story they got was not the whole truth.
“We’re still not getting information. Everything is sketchy here and there. Why is it that the whole school wasn’t informed of what was going on? You know we have kids in contact with other kids. You don’t know who plays with whom in the school through the course of the day. So why would you say you have to be in contact with persons face to face for 8 hours to contract it? TB is serious. It’s a very serious disease.
“To say 138 persons were tested and none were positive and then turn around and say 5 were positive is sketchy. What is the correct information? I don’t feel that they are being truthful with the parents. Someone needs to be truthful and let us know if we should bring the kids to school,” the parent said.
After much persistence, some parents were given the go ahead to take their children home, charging that they will not return until they’re satisfied all is well.
Addressing the issue on site was Health Minister Dr. Duane Sands.
“There is no outbreak of TB at Garvin Tynes Primary. As occurred at RM Bailey and another places, there is a possible case of a student at Garvin Tynes and what we are doing is a routine public health screening of children and teachers and staff to determine whether or not anybody has been exposed to tuberculosis
One parent was very concerned that her child, a student of grade 2, was tested for TB by the school without her permission.
Dr. Sands said to ensure public health, they had a right to do so.
“I would say to that parent that we apologize; because that would not be the preferred way to do it even though legally we can,” Dr. Duane Sands said.
