PIKE COUNTY, OH — Protests are set to take place in response to the upcoming auction of Zahn’s Corner Middle School, a building that was deemed so hazardous it had to be permanently shut down in 2019 due to radioactive contamination.
Residents are questioning who approved the decision to sell the school, given its history of contamination. The closure of Zahn’s Corner Middle School came after radioactive isotopes of enriched uranium were discovered inside the building. Dr. Michael Ketterer, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Northern Arizona University, published a comprehensive 155-page report detailing the contamination. Despite these findings, the United States Department of Energy publicly refuted the report, claiming the school was safe.
The Scioto Valley Local School District’s Board of Education voted to quarantine the school when radioactive material was detected in an air monitor stationed at the site. Students were subsequently relocated to other buildings within the district. Superintendent Wes Hairston emphasized the priority of constructing a new middle school, stating, “Any level of contamination on or near a school increases health risks and is unacceptable. Our students and staff deserve a safe place to learn.”
On Thursday, environmental group Piketon Residents for Environmental Safety and Security (PRESS) released a press statement expressing deep concern over the decision to sell Zahn’s Corner Middle School to the general public without proper decontamination of the site. Vina Colley, President and founder of PRESS, called on the Scioto Local School Board to immediately halt the sale of the building and its contents until thorough decontamination has been completed.
“The school is in fact not safe and the Department of Energy knows it,” said Human Rights Consultant and PRESS spokesperson Jason Salley.
The protest is scheduled for the day of the open house showing on July 24 from 12 – 2 PM.