Parents, School Board Member Question How District 205 Handled Mercury Spill

Rockford, Illinois- A day later and the kids are leaving school, this time, with shoes on their feet. After the mercury scare Wednesday, students were sent home in just their socks, so their shoes could be tested for traces of mercury. All tests have come back negative. Still, School Board Member Mike Williams visited Kennedy and is unhappy with the way things were handled. "This was a toxic chemical," says Williams. "It was not cleaned up in accordance with E.P.A. protocol." "We had the spill cleaned up according to district procedures," says Kennedy Middle School Principal Theresa Kallstrom. "The spill did occur on Tuesday it was cleaned up on Tuesday." It was cleaned up Tuesday, and kids came to class as usual Wednesday. It was late in the day Wednesday before any kids were sent home. "They could`ve let us know and let it be our choice if we want them to come to school or not," says Kennedy Grandparent Martha Jones. "It was pretty well cleaned up and that`s why the kids came to school," says Kallstrom. "The rest of it was a precautionary measure." "It is a dangerous chemical," says Kennedy Parent Kirby Miracle. "My kids are here just like everyone else`s and I think you can`t be too cautious about anything like that." But Kallstrom did send out a memo to parents saying, "We apologize for yesterday`s confusion. We did not receive directions concerning the precautionary measures we needed to take until late in the day." The superintendent`s office declined an interview but released a statement saying school officials are reviewing the situation to see if anything could have been done better.