LeRoy, N.Y.- The LeRoy School Superintendent sent a letter to the community Wednesday calling some recent news reports and environmental testing by someone claiming to work on behalf of Erin Brockovich, a distraction.
Since the fall, more than a dozen girls at the high school have been suffering from tics and uncontrollable movements.
Superintendent Kim Cox said in her letter, “Speculation and reporting of erroneous information by those who have none of the information that has been compiled over months of study by leading professionals is confusing our community.”
Cox said last weekend an associate of environmental activist Erin Brockovich came onto school grounds unannounced while looking into a train derailment that happened in the 1970’s, four miles from the school.
“The individual who came onto school property this past Saturday did not identify himself, did not show his credentials, and did not contact us ahead of time to offer assistance or coordinate with our efforts,” said Cox. “Nor did this individual demonstrate that the testing approach was in accordance with scientific methods. It was clearly staged as a publicity stunt with members of local and national media invited to participate.”
Cox said this attention is causing more anxiety for all the LeRoy students and jeopardizing the recovery of the affected students.
She said the Department of Health found no evidence of environmental or infection as the cause of the students’ illness. Cox added that the school was tested for total Volatile Organic Compounds by an independent firm. Water samples taken from the inside of the school were also tested and determined to be safe. The treating physicians at the Dent Institute ruled out PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders associated with Streptococcal infections), a condition that sometimes causes this behavior and the Gardasil vaccine was ruled out because many of the girls did not receive the vaccine.
“These kids want to get better,” said Cox. “As a community, we need to support each other and these students by ensuring our school environment is nurturing and safe.”
The Environmental Protection Agency said this week they are investigating near the old railroad derailment site in response to community concerns.
The test results should be released sometime next week.
