PIKETON, Ohio — Protests are set to take place in Pike County on Wednesday as the community voices its frustration over the impending sale of Zahn’s Corner Middle School. The school, which was permanently shut down in 2019 due to radioactive contamination, is now slated for auction, sparking outrage and controversy.
Zahn’s Corner Middle School was closed 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 after 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, the environmental group Piketon Residents for Environmental Safety and Security (PRESS) released a statement expressing deep concern over the decision to sell Zahn’s Corner Middle School to the general public without proper decontamination. 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.
In response to the community’s reaction, the Scioto Local School District released a statement saying, in part, “Since its closing, Zahn’s Corner Middle School has required significant and ongoing maintenance, including utilities, insurance, groundskeeping, and HVAC upkeep; the costs of which are a significant financial liability for the Board of Education, which is a small, rural, public district with limited means. Maintaining an unoccupied building has impacted the ability of the Board of Education to provide the necessary programs and opportunities for its students. As a result, the Board of Education has determined to sell the Zahn’s Corner Middle School property.”
The school is being sold “As-Is,” according to the district and the auction company handling the sale.
Environmental activists and community members are calling on concerned citizens to gather at 4:30 PM at Zahn’s Corner Middle School to protest the sale. This protest follows a recent scientific study reported by The Guardian, which revealed that plants around the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant are absorbing radioactive elements, posing a health risk to the public.
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