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Teaching is not necessarily an easy profession, but South Carolina teachers still choose this career path because they are passionate about education. However, while teachers spend years educating young students, many are also suffering from regular asbestos exposure. All that exposure means that elementary and middle school teachers have a much higher risk for developing mesothelioma than other people do.

Teachers have mesothelioma rates similar to those of construction workers, shipbuilders and refinery workers. This was confirmed by a former epidemiologist and chief medical officer at an out-of-state public health division, who performed two separate studies that produce the same results. His most recent study was in 2018, using more recent data than the first.

Schools built before the 1980s are a common source of exposure. Asbestos is fire-resistant and extremely durable, so it was used quite liberally throughout school buildings to protect children in case of fires. As a result, asbestos in schools can be found in many more places than just ceilings and floor tiles. It was common practice to spray asbestos on the ceiling of gymnasiums and auditoriums. Asbestos was also applied directly to walls and used to wrap around heating pipes.

Keeping students and teachers in South Carolina safe involves maintaining safe facilities. Unfortunately, school districts do not always address repairs or regular maintenance in a timely manner, even when they are aware that asbestos is involved. Whether a teacher or student develops mesothelioma after years of exposure in the classroom, it might be possible to recover compensation for things like medical bills and lost wages.