Two Philadelphia schools close after discovering asbestos

Two Philadelphia schools will be closed on reports of asbestos found.

Two buildings, Mitchell Elementary School in Southwest Philadelphia and Frankford High School are both closed after the discovery of asbestos.

According to a post on Frankford High School’s Facebook page, the building will be closed next week, from April 10-14 for inspection and remediation due to “unforeseen concerns on the third floor of the building.” The post continues to say there will be no school on Monday, April 10 but there will be virtual learning from April 11-14.

Officials are not sure how long students and staff may have been exposed.

In a letter/email sent to families of Mitchell Elementary School, officials announced the school closing for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year after a new round of sampling discovered plaster on the elementary school walls and ceiling tiles containing asbestos.

Similar to Frankford High School, Mitchell Elementary will be closed on Monday, April 10 to prepare for virtual learning on Tuesday, April 11. Virtual learning will be from April 11-14 as well with an expected update of an alternative school store early next week.

The principal at Mitchell Elementary says their building will remain closed for the rest of the school year.

Last week, officials found more asbestos in Building 21 in West Oak Lane so it’s not clear when students and staff will return.

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers released a statement with the discovery of more asbestos found in schools.

“The discovery of additional damaged asbestos, and the fact that staff and students were exposed for an unknown period of time, is deeply concerning and upsetting.

We appreciate the District’s increased commitment to transparency and recognition of how imperative it is to be forthcoming in these situations.

For years, we’ve called for critically needed investments in school facilities—and for more transparency in the processes of inspection and remediation. The closures of the Mitchell and Frankford buildings are emblematic of the need for both.

It is outrageous that staff and students continue to be exposed to toxins in school buildings, and we cannot and will not stop fighting until every staff member and student has a healthy school in which to work and learn.”