Oct 28, 2007 1:12 pm US/Eastern
Concerned Parents Question School Over MRSA Death
Parents Refuse To Send Children To School
BROOKLYN (CBS) ―
It's been nearly two weeks since 12-year-old Omar Rivera was killed by a staph infection in Brooklyn; now angry parents and lawmakers are demanding answers.
"This is an outrage," said one parent at a meeting designed to calm fears about the deadly case of MRSA.
State Senator John Sampson was beside himself.
"Instead of worrying about the health of our children, those people in leadership are just worried about covering their a**," said Sampson.
Neither Sampson, nor media were allowed to attend the meeting at I.S. 211, where some 50 parents signed up to have their questions answered. Chief among them: why were parents notified of Rivera's death this Thursday when the 7th grader died 11 days earlier?
"[It is] definitely a concern because when things like that happen, parents need to be informed right away," said one parent.
"You should know what's going on. What are you hiding? If there's nothing to hide. Open it up," said NYC Council Member Charles Barron.
According to Principal Buffie Simmons-Peart, the meeting was closed at the discretion of the Parent Teach Association president. As for the timeline, she says parents were notified as soon as the school heard from the health department this week.
"Wednesday afternoon, late afternoon, this Wednesday, first thing Thursday morning, we came in, informed the staff, students as well as parents," said Simmons-Peart.
The two-hour meeting also covered some basic background on the staph infection - what it is, and how to treat and prevent it.
Parents left the meeting with mixed feelings.
"They're trying to cover something [up]," said one parent.
Another found the meeting "very informative," and added, "there isn't much [the school] can do."
But both mothers agree their children may not return to school any time soon.
"I'm worried. I don't know. I have to think about it," said the first mother.
Department of Education officials maintain the school is clean and safe.
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