Three schools reportedly have issues with asbestos – two schools closing and another causing concerns for parents.
Parents of children attending school in Brooklyn, NY, reportedly protested asbestos issues in the institution. P.S. 176 The Ovington School in Dyker Heights has ongoing construction work, according to the Brooklyn Paper online news outlet, and parents protested that the work was exposing students to asbestos.
Williamsport High School, located in northern Maryland, closed recently due to finding asbestos in the school. The building is undergoing construction work.
Stege Elementary School, in a suburb of San Francisco, CA, remains closed as officials plan to demolish the old building due to asbestos and lead paint, among other issues. A new building will not be student-ready until the 2026-2027 school year.
These are the latest events in an ongoing effort to remove asbestos in U.S. schools, which is a large undertaking considering the volume of schools containing the deadly mineral.
What Is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a natural mineral in the earth’s soil. It can resist heat and protect against fires, which is why construction work during the 20th century often involved using asbestos. The mineral was a supplement for ceiling tiles, floor tiles, insulation around electrical wiring, household appliances and more.
Asbestos is made of tiny fibers. Asbestos fibers are sharp, and they can be released with disturbances such as cutting, grinding, sanding or other actions during construction and renovation work.
These fibers float in the air and can be inhaled or swallowed. When this occurs, the fibers can irritate cells inside the human body and cause cancer to develop. One of the types of cancer caused by asbestos exposure is mesothelioma, which is an aggressive disease that starts in thin tissue linings and quickly spreads to organs like the lungs.
During the 21st century, with the general public aware of asbestos’ risks, there’s an ongoing effort to remove any visible or loose asbestos from buildings. This can protect future inhabitants, such as students and teachers inside a school, but the work to remove the fibers can disturb them and cause exposure for renovation workers or others.
Asbestos Found in Maryland High School
According to the online news outlet DC News Now, asbestos fibers were found in Williamsport High School during routine testing for construction and renovation work. Workers then found asbestos in upper and lower levels of the school building. The construction and renovation work began in June, which is when the loose asbestos was discovered.
As of last week, Washington County Public Schools planned to have Williamsport High School students begin the new school year virtually from home. The first day of the school year is August 25 This less-than-ideal arrangement could last until mid-January as asbestos issues are resolved.
School district officials have tried to find an alternative spot for in-person education to no success. The school has more than 900 students, and there is not a viable property currently that can accommodate that size of students in a proper learning environment.
Brooklyn School Parents Protest Asbestos Work
At P.S. 176 in Brooklyn, parents requested the removal of the school’s principal for “failing to inform families about potential health risks,” according to the Brooklyn Paper.
The asbestos concerns date back to 2021, when construction began at the school. The news website reported that a parent knew asbestos abatement was planned but noticed workers without protective gear disposing of debris “into a large green container labeled ‘asbestos’ in the school playground.”
Additional issues reportedly surfaced. The Brooklyn Paper has a lengthy investigative article about the situation.
This news comes months after an audit revealed the New York Department of Education failed to inspect many New York City public schools for asbestos. From 2021-2024, only 18% of all New York City public schools with asbestos-containing materials received the 3-year inspections required by federal regulations. Only 22% of the schools had the required 6-month inspections.
Richmond Elementary School Remains Closed
An elementary school in Richmond, CA, will remain closed for another school year due to asbestos spotted in the school building.
Stege Elementary will be demolished and rebuilt due to an exhaustive amount of asbestos and lead paint. The school was built in 1943, at the time when asbestos was prevalent in the construction of buildings. Not until the 1980s did the public learn asbestos was dangerous.
During inspections, dry rot was found in three classrooms and asbestos was identified in the window putty. Other issues, such as sewage, made matters worse.
One of the area residents who serves on the Bond Oversight Committee, which is a watchdog for how school bond money is spent, said there have been issues at Stege Elementary School for 16 or 17 years. He and other parents believe race plays a major part in why the school was not renovated and upgraded sooner.
“(The student population at) Stege is, what, 92.9 percent minority? And they don’t count as much as some of the other groups here in West Contra Costa County,” Don Gosney, the committee member, said.
The new building should open for the 2026-2027 school year. For the 2025-2026 school year, Stege Elementary students will attend DeJean Middle School.
Asbestos in Schools
Asbestos is an ongoing issue within U.S. school buildings. Many schools built during the 20th century – when asbestos use was at a peak – have not been renovated due to budget limitations. This means buildings contain old electrical wiring insulation, outdated floor and ceiling tiles, decades-old siding and paint, and more parts that may contain asbestos.
The city of Philadelphia closed several schools temporarily – and dealt with public criticism and even legal concerns – due to asbestos issues in public schools. Other schools across the country have faced similar challenges.
Read more about asbestos in schools on the Mesothelioma Guide website.
Sources & Author
- Williamsport High School closed after asbestos fibers found. DC News Now. Retrieved from: https://www.dcnewsnow.com/news/local-news/washington-dc/williamsport-high-school-closed-after-asbestos-fibers-found/. Accessed: 07/26/2025.
- Maryland high school starting school year virtually due to asbestos problem. Herald-Mail. Retrieved from: https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/story/news/local/2025/08/06/williamsport-high-will-use-remote-learning-due-to-asbestos-problem/85551688007/. Accessed: 08/09/2025.
- ‘We want answers’: Parents protest over asbestos fears at P.S. 176 in Dyker Heights. The Brooklyn Paper. Retrieved from: https://www.brooklynpaper.com/parents-protest-asbestos-ps-176-dyker-heights/. Accessed: 07/30/2025.
- Richmond elementary school being rebuilt after lead paint, asbestos detected. CBS News. Retrieved from: https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/richmond-stege-elementary-school-rebuild/. Accessed: 08/11/2025.
Sources & Author
