Demand Full Transparency, Independent Testing, and Safe Conditions at Del Sur Elementary

Our children deserve answers.
In 2024, parents, teachers, and community members raised serious concerns about mold and indoor environmental conditions at Del Sur Elementary. I created this petition after my daughter experienced years of significant health problems while attending Del Sur, and after I learned that other families and staff had raised concerns about conditions on campus as well.

At the time, I asked the Poway Unified School District to conduct comprehensive, independent testing of the school and HVAC system, properly address any contamination, perform independent post-remediation clearance testing, and provide the results to the school community.

Those concerns did not simply disappear.

Del Sur Elementary has now experienced another round of concerns involving elevated moisture and environmental sampling that reportedly identified moderately elevated or elevated levels of Penicillium/Aspergillus in certain areas of the school.

The district has identified the following rooms in its FAQ:

123, 124, 126, 127, 132, 137, 142, 147, and 222.

This raises important questions for every parent—especially because the district has indicated that the elevated-moisture conditions developed after July 31.

Why parents need answers now
If elevated moisture was discovered after July 31, parents deserve to know exactly when it was first observed, what caused it, and what evidence supports the conclusion that the conditions developed only after July 31.

This is particularly important because Del Sur has a documented history of moisture and mold concerns. In 2023, the district reported water intrusion through a classroom window, and in 2024 independent testing identified mold on carpets and floors in multiple areas of the school.

The community should not have to rely on assumptions about when a moisture problem began.

Parents should be provided with the records and testing necessary to understand what happened.

We are asking Poway Unified School District to answer these questions:

1. What exact date were elevated moisture levels or other moisture-related concerns first observed at Del Sur Elementary in 2026?
2. On what dates were the environmental samples collected that identified moderately elevated or elevated Penicillium/Aspergillus?
3. What evidence supports the conclusion that the elevated-moisture conditions developed after July 31, rather than having been present but undiscovered before the ESS program ended?
4. Does the district have HVAC, building-management-system, thermostat, or humidity records for the affected classrooms during June and July 2026? If so, parents should be provided with those records or the relevant humidity readings.
5. Were any of the rooms identified in the district's FAQ—123, 124, 126, 127, 132, 137, 142, 147, and 222—occupied or regularly accessed by ESS students or staff during the summer program?
6. Were environmental air or surface samples taken during the ESS program or immediately before July 31? If so, what were the results?
7. Has the independent industrial hygienist determined, or been asked to determine, approximately how long the elevated-moisture conditions and/or indoor mold growth may have been present?
8. Has the source of the elevated moisture been identified in each affected area? If not, what investigation is currently underway to determine the underlying cause?
9. Given Del Sur's previous moisture and mold concerns, has the current investigation evaluated whether the 2026 findings could be related to recurring HVAC, building-envelope, water-intrusion, or other moisture-control issues?
10. When was the previous testing performed, what areas were tested, what type of testing was conducted, and what were the results? Parents should be provided with the actual reports, not simply a summary of the findings.

Transparency should not be controversial.
Parents should not have to speculate about whether a moisture problem existed before it was discovered.

They should not have to wonder whether children or staff were using affected rooms.

They should not have to rely on verbal assurances when environmental testing and building records exist.

And they should not have to repeatedly raise the same concerns before the underlying cause is fully investigated.

We are asking Poway Unified School District to:

1. Release all environmental testing reports related to the 2026 investigation.
2. Release the dates, locations, and types of all environmental samples collected.
3. Release relevant HVAC, humidity, thermostat, and building-management-system records for the affected areas, to the extent permitted by law.
4. Clearly identify which classrooms and areas were affected.
   
   
5. Identify the source of moisture in every affected area.
6. Provide documentation regarding whether affected rooms were occupied or accessed during ESS.
7. Explain the evidence supporting the conclusion that elevated moisture developed after July 31.
8. Investigate whether the current findings may be connected to previous moisture, water-intrusion, HVAC, or building-envelope problems at Del Sur.
9. Use an independent, qualified industrial hygienist or environmental professional who has no financial interest in remediation.
   
   
10. Conduct appropriate post-remediation clearance testing by an independent party.
11. Make testing reports, remediation plans, and clearance results available to the Del Sur community.

This is about accountability—not fear.
The goal of this petition is not to create unnecessary alarm.

The goal is to make sure that parents have complete, accurate information about the environment in which their children spend their school days.

Del Sur families deserve to know what happened, when it happened, what caused it, what was done about it, and whether the problem has actually been resolved.

There have already been documented environmental concerns at Del Sur in previous years. The discovery of new elevated-moisture concerns and environmental findings in 2026 makes transparency even more important.

We cannot change what happened in the past. But we can insist that the district learn from it and protect the students and staff who are at Del Sur today.

Please sign this petition and share it with Del Sur parents, former families, teachers, staff, and members of the Poway Unified community.

Our children deserve a safe school.
Our families deserve answers.
And our community deserves transparency.

Old petition -

I need your help! 

After 2.5 years of constant and major health issues, my daughter tested positive for mold in her body. She is positive for 4 different kinds of molds that are wreaking havoc on her immune system. I encourage you to Google what prolonged exposure to mold can do to someone but she just about checks every single box. I’ve also learned through all of this, that mold has been an issue at Del Sur Elementary School since before Covid. The mold can be seen in certain classrooms, especially around the air vents. It is also not just my daughter who has been so sick, there are multiple teachers and students with varying degrees of health issues.

The mold situation has turned critical. It's time to address this issue proactively and secure the health of our children. We need to demand conclusive testing for mold, embraced with measures that include:

1. Assess the current situation. Independent mold testing of the entire school and the HVAC system and vents by a 3rd party firm. Must be accredited by one or more of the following: Indoor Environmental Standards Organization (IESO) Standards of Practice, the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA), American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), National Organization of Remediators and Mold Inspectors (NORMI) or the National Association of Mold Remediators and Inspectors (NAMRI). 
   
   
2. Tests must include swab sampling, air sampling, wall cavity air samples, moisture meter readings, and temperature humidity readings of the aforementioned areas. The firm testing for mold should not be the same one that does remediation, as this is a conflict of interest. 
   
   
3. Mold abatement, removal, and remediation per the guidelines recommended by the EPA (https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-remediation-schools-and-commercial-buildings-guide-chapter-3#How_Do_You_Know In areas where mold is detected, discard and replace any porous surfaces likely to be contaminated by mold such as carpet/padding, insulation, drywall, ceiling tiles, and upholstered furniture. Disinfect remaining items. Application of an EPA approved biocide to kill remaining mold spores. Use of filtration equipment such as “air scrubbers” and HEPA fans to capture mold spores throughout remediation process. 
   
   
4. Post-remediation clearance testing by a 3rd party unrelated to the firm that did the remediation. 
   
   
5. Release the findings and reports to the community before school starts on Wednesday August 21, 2024. 
   
   
6. Allow DSE parents, staff, or teachers to provide independent mold testing, at their own expense, to ease any concerns. 

According to the CDC, exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, particularly in those with mold allergies or pulmonary issues. Children, due to their developing immune systems, are often the most susceptible to such hazards.

We need to uphold the welfare of our children and protect their environment. The impact of negligence could be catastrophic. The school needs to undertake an immediate and thorough process of mold removal and comprehensive testing. 

Please join me in advocating for the health of our children. We need to urge our school authorities and local government to take this issue seriously and address it urgently. By signing this petition, we are taking a collective stand for the well-being of our children.

Your signature can make a world of difference. Please sign this petition.