NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – School officials say they have determined the source of the odor after Tuesday’s school evacuations in North Little Rock Middle School was a “scented wall plug-in.”
On Tuesday, North Little Rock School District Spokesperson says they evacuated 1,200 students at the seventh and eighth-grade campus to the high school after reports of students and teachers becoming nauseous and dizzy because of “low oxygen levels.”
However later Tuesday evening, the district sent out a letter saying they detected a strong odor in one of the classrooms and that is the cause of students and staff’s symptoms.
Superintendent Gregory J. Pilewski said Wednesday that a scented wall plug-in was found during an assessment of the affected classrooms.
“The plug-in is believed to be the cause of the symptoms our students and staff identified,” Pilewski said.
Wednesday, when asked about initial reports of low oxygen levels, a district spokesperson said those claims were made “prior to a complete assessment.”
“Little Rock Fire Department Hazmat Team, the district learned there was adequate oxygen, and the air quality was, in fact, good,” the spokesperson said. “We appreciate the quick response and assistance of the North Little Rock Fire Department.”
When asked about the plug-in, the district spokesperson said they didn’t know what was in it or what the scent was.
Courtney Ingram is the mother of North Little Rock Middle School eighth-grader Tyson Glover. She said she is frustrated with how the district handled the situation and communication.
“Like why it was stated this (low oxygen levels) when it was this (a scented wall plug-in),” Ingram said. “You had teachers dizzy and nauseated from a plug-in, no, they’re going to have to give me a better answer than that.”
When asked about the plug-in, the district spokesperson said they didn’t know what was in it or what the scent was.
“You (NLRSD) condensed it to a plug-in. I don’t believe that, I think there is more to the story,” Ingram said.
Ingram said she is considering switching her son to a different school district after this issue.
As Wednesday had been assigned for remote learning as officials worked to find the source of the odor. Officials with the NLRSD said students will return to class on Thursday.
