DEMOPOLIS &8212; Parents of John Essex students have shown concern for the health safety over the removal of asbestos at the school.

According to Marengo County Superintendent Luke Hallmark, the parents have nothing to worry about.

The company doing the job at John Essex also just finished doing the same gym floor repair work at A. L. Johnson.

Principal Nepoleon Peterson could not be reached for comment because he was attending a funeral for a former school employee.

Memos were made Monday afternoon at the John Essex faculty meeting, and letters were supposed to go to parents with the students Wednesday afternoon.

The first removals of asbestos are set to be done during the five day Thanksgiving break so students and employees will not be around the compound.

Asbestos is made up of microscopic bundles of fibers that may become airborne when asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed. When these fibers get into the air they may be inhaled into the lungs, where they can cause significant health problems. It is only dangerous to peoples&8217; health when it is airborne.

According to McCoy, she has gotten visits and phone calls from concerned parents, but she welcomes them. The main concern from the parents is that air, no matter how protected and filtered, can still seep to other areas of the school.

Hallmark insists that the children will be completely safe, and that because it will be done when the students are not in school that there will be plenty of time to make sure the air is clean.