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fedoragirl
08-28-2009, 10:03 PM
Our school building is being painted (yes, during school hours!) and since I am 22 weeks pregnant, I am not sure whether I should be inhaling those fumes. The building is brick/concrete inside, so I am sure the paint is not VOC or any less toxic than any other paint.
Of course, since I have a super strong nose right now, I can smell everything, and it doesn't seem to bother me except for an irritating cough and some stinging of the eyes--not constantly, though.
So, should I take days off even though school just started and I don't really want to be off? Will these count as part of my sick days even though I am not in control of the painting schedule and it's not really "my fault?"
I heard through the grapevine that they can't legally take my sick days for this, but I am not sure.
Any teachers who've had such an experience?

Rainbows&Roses
08-28-2009, 10:16 PM
How dumb. Why didn't they do it during the summer?!?

Paint fumes made me nauseous during pregnancy. I would not think it would be a good idea for you or anyone else to be exposed to them for the whole school day. I would talk to your administrator to try to find a solution and then if that does not work, your union if you have one.

When I was teaching and our rooms were too hot, we would go into the common areas which were cooler. I don't know if there are any places in your school that you could escape the fumes. Eventually with the indoor air problems we kept having, some teachers did go to the union as our school administration was not acting fast enough. The union filed some formal complaints and things happened much more quickly.

eta: as a parent, I would NOT be happy to have my DD exposed to these fumes either. Are the kids complaining of headaches, etc. yet? This is an indoor air quality problem/pollution and the school should be held responsible. Seriously, what idiot thought this was a good time to paint?