Asbestos is in the Summer Playground of the Rich and Famous
Key Takeaways
- Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, built in 1959, contains aging asbestos materials now deteriorating and releasing dangerous fibers.
- Teachers, students, and visitors risk asbestos exposure from damaged floors, ceilings, and pipes.
- Despite the island’s affluence, the school struggles to fund a $334 million renovation to fix toxic conditions.
- Asbestos exposure can cause mesothelioma and lung cancer decades after contact.
Martha’s Vineyard, the world-renowned Massachusetts island, is a summer haven for the wealthy and well-connected. Politicians, celebrities, and business elites enjoy the island each year, drawn by its beaches, boating, upscale homes, and picture-perfect charm. But behind this postcard image lies a troubling truth for those with children who live on the island year-round — asbestos in the local high school.
The island’s only public high school, Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, has sections in a serious state of decay. Employees and students must cope with mold, leaking pipes, and asbestos hazards, according to the Martha’s Vineyard Times. Countless schools across the country, in small towns and major cities, in famous locations and in areas few of us have heard of, face similar problems.
Despite the island’s wealth and reputation, students and staff at MVRHS walk daily through a building built in 1959 that’s never been replaced or fully renovated. Instead, it’s had decades of band-aid fixes, quick repairs, and cover-ups. As a result, the school has crumbling infrastructure, mold, and flooring layered over aging asbestos in an older section of the facility.
A Tale of Two Vineyards
While multimillion-dollar homes are available across the island, the area’s public high school is plagued by missing ceiling tiles, sagging vents, and water leaks that soak asbestos-containing materials. In some areas, carpets were installed over flooring containing asbestos. This is a common “solution” that becomes dangerous when water-damaged tiles lift off the underlying floor.
What are the Legal and Medical Risks of a School With Asbestos?
Asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma and asbestosis often develop decades after exposure. It’s not just construction or industrial workers who are at risk. Students, teachers, janitors, and parents visiting the school may unknowingly breathe in asbestos fibers released by damage or decay.
Potential legal liability may extend to multiple parties, including school districts, contractors, and manufacturers of asbestos-containing products. Anyone sickened by MVRHS asbestos may have a right to pursue compensation if it causes injuries like mesothelioma or lung cancer.
What Does This Mean for You?
The Vineyard is a place where millionaires vacation, but the public school system struggles to afford the projected $334.5 million cost to renovate a facility known to contain toxic hazards. Asbestos is not a problem of the past. People live with asbestos-related diseases contracted decades ago, while it endangers lives today, even in the wealthiest corners of the country.
Call Us Today for A Free Consultation
If you or a family member has an asbestos-related disease and worked at a school or other public building, Satterley & Kelley, PLLC, is here to help you through this difficult time.
To discuss your situation and how Satterley & Kelley, PLLC can help, call us at 855-385-9532, locally 502-589-5600, or contact us online to arrange a free initial consultation.