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Arlington ISD Responds to Lawsuit Over Nichols Junior High Illnesses

Attorneys for the Arlington Independent School District are firing back against a lawsuit claiming they haven't properly addressed mysterious illnesses at Nichols Junior High School.

There have been more than 500 complaints of illness there since September 2016.

But attorneys for the school district now say 380 of the complaints came from 20 people, and more than 100 of them are from one person.

The attorneys also said that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has now weighed in, finding there is no connection between the reported illnesses and the school building.

Attorneys for the Arlington Independent School District are firing back against a lawsuit claiming they haven't properly addressed mysterious illnesses at Nichols Junior High School.

They're citing "heightened awareness," suggesting more people are noticing symptoms after hearing others talk about them.

On Tuesday, NBC 5 reported that about a dozen parents have joined the lawsuit against the school district, seeking an emergency order to make the district move students and staff to another building while they keep looking for a cause.

Arlington ISD has brought in outside experts, including Tarrant County Public Health and the Environmental Protection Agency, to run a constant series of tests over the past six months.

They've fixed some minor mold and air quality issues, but nothing has revealed a serious problem. And until that changes, they're not planning to move.

The families said they were planning a protest at the Arlington school board meeting Thursday night.

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