Child Sends Message to Governor About School's Condition

A kindergartner at Edgewater Elementary addressed Gov. Martin O’Malley in a video, alleging that made her favorite teacher sick.

Meghan Fritter, 6, said in the video that her teacher "thought the air was making her sick and she had to leave." She asked, "Can you build me a new school so she might come back?"

The kindergartner referred to her favorite after-school care educator, "Ms. Katlyn," according to her father . The video was shared with Edgewater-Davidsonville Patch with the hopes that the governor would see it.

Meghan is the daughter of a parent leading a petition to get state funding for Parents voiced concerns in January that the school’s air quality was affecting the physical health of their children. Meghan started getting migraines and respiratory infections when she began attending Edgewater Elementary, according to her father.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools to examine the school after more than 50 parents attended a school board meeting, claiming mold and high carbon dioxide levels were making children and teachers sick. The health specialist, Ed Light, said “” were his biggest concerns at the school but that both issues could be addressed quickly and easily.

Built more than 60 years ago, Edgewater Elementary underwent renovations in 1964 and 1985. The school falls short of modern day expectations, Light said when .

Since learning of Light’s findings at the school, to get Edgewater Elementary some of the $340 million O’Malley proposed to spend on school construction in his State of the State address.

Edgewater Elementary is scheduled to undergo a feasibility study for renovations and upgrades in 2016, but it's a date too far in the future for many parents who worry the mold and poor air quality is taking a physical toll on their children.

Fritter said more than 200 people have signed the petition so far, including members of nearby homeowner associations who are .

"We are now working with the other elementary school PTAs to gather support from their parents and communities," Fritter told Patch in an email. "If our school can't be fixed, if our school continues to make children sick—parents will request a transfer to a more healthy school."