COLONIA, N.J. (1010 WINS) — Over 100 brain tumor cases have now been identified in Colonia High School alumni or those who worked there after a 1989 graduate and environmental scientist found a cancer cluster possibly linked to the Woodbridge Township school.
With the results of environmental tests not expected until later this month at the earliest, a petition is being circulated online demanding "more involvement" from New Jersey and the federal government amid calls for remote learning.
"Because the school remains open, we demand greater urgency to find out if potentially harmful substances are harming our children and staff at Colonia High School," the petition reads. "We understand that collecting environmental samples and analyzing them takes time, but that is exactly the reason why concurrent sampling of various media and parameters must be done ASAP."
Fears have been raised as a result of the discovery made by Al Lupiano, who uncovered a possible cancer cluster. Lupiano his wife and sister, all Colonia high school graduates, were all diagnosed with rare brain tumors. His sister died of brain cancer in February.
He told WCBS 880's Sean Adams in March that he looked "at roughly from the 1975 graduating class to the 1995 graduating class and the bulk of the brain tumor incidents happened in that time period."
Samantha Santangelo, whose freshman son attends the school, told 1010 WINS' Samantha Liebman that keeping the school open is not worth the risk.
"Why are we risking, again, the health and safety of just not only students but the staff as well," she said.
Santangelo, a teacher, said she would like to see a split day with one of the other high schools in Woodbridge.
On Tuesday, school superintendent Joseph Massimino said in a letter to parents that the state prohibits schools from remote learning except in a health emergency, and currently the Township Board of Health finds "no substantiated public health concern related to Colonia High School."
"I again reached out to the County Superintendent to confirm that this was the only process by which remote instruction could be permitted," the letter adds. "Thus, based on the criteria set forth by the New Jersey Department of Education, unfortunately remote instruction is currently not an option."
However, for petition organizers, "it is not enough to address parents of operating school with suspected cancer cluster through written statements."
"We and our children deserve more! When children’s health and lives are at stake, we have a right to demand your full attention and transparency," the petition concludes.
Santangelo said her son and his fellow freshman are anxious.
"Anytime somebody gets a headache the first thing they think is 'oh my god, this is brain cancer,'" she added.
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