Holy Angels School Closed For Week After Finding Lead Particles

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Catholic school in Bronzeville was suddenly shut down this week due to concerns in the building.

Some parents say they were given no notice and no answers until Wednesday night, and the news isn't good.

Officials with the archdiocese now say lead was found in the school. They are rushing to fix the issue now after closing school for the week Monday night.

CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports some parents say the fix and information is coming much too late.

Not happy would be one way to describe parents leaving the meeting at Holy Angels schools.

"A lot of us parents up in there feel that they were just trying to smooth us over," said parent David Fields.

That frustration comes two days after archdiocesan officials abruptly closed the school because of lead particles.

Officials say the particles were found during routine testing before workers began painting in the oldest part of the building.

"We have traced that back to our air return system so we are going to work on that and we will mitigate that problem," Mary Kearney, associate superintendent for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Holy Angels' high lead levels come seven months after the Archdiocese shut down Saint Elizabeth School for the same reason and directed many of those students to Holy Angels.

"If you shut down one school because of lead, why would you then bring them over here and lead is in this school as well," said parent Monica Clark. "Lead didn't just show up August 24."

"We had a good conversation with our parents tonight and we feel we have some safety measures and resources for our parents as well," Kearney said.

Parents say exactly what that testing protocol will be remains a mystery. Others shared some pictures from inside the school, claiming this problem is just one of many.

"I think the whole set up is terrible," Clark said. "But the Archdiocese doesn't mind collecting our tuition."

Dr. Kearney says officials tested the school before the start of this school year but did not find high lead levels then. She expects the lead issue will be remediated and the school will again be open Monday.