Education reps meeting teachers over cancer concerns
Posted
The Education Department denies there is a cancer cluster at the Hazelwood School. (ABC News: David Hudspeth)
Representatives from Tasmania's education department will speak to staff at Hobart's Hazelwood School this afternoon.
Staff are concerned about a possible cancer cluster at the Moonah campus.
Over the past 20 years, 17 teachers and support staff at Hazelwood have developed cancer and other related illnesses. Some are concerned their sickness is linked to radiation from an electricity substation in the school basement and a neighbouring transmission tower.
But the Education Department denies there is a cluster, because no environmental hazards have been found and radiation testing turned up normal results.
However three departmental staff, including the deputy secretary, Greg Glass, are attending a staff meeting at the school this afternoon to discuss the matter.
The Department says it first met staff in April.
But the ABC has been told staff members who are on sick leave, have left the school or retired have not been invited to attend.
