3 Orange County elementary schools closed over asbestos concerns

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- After several hours of heated debate with concerned parents Tuesday night, the Ocean View School District has decided to temporarily shut down another school because of an asbestos scare.

Officials originally debated closing 11 schools in the district but deemed the move unnecessary. Schools that will remain closed include Hope View, Lake View, and Oak View elementary schools.

Oak View and Hope View were already closed Monday and Tuesday while the district awaited the test results of air and dust samples.

Because the vote happened so late, many parents left before hearing the results and could be surprised by the district's decision to keep the other 10 schools open. Classes are expected to continue as normal at those locations.

The district says asbestos is in the majority of the schools, because they were built in the 1960s.

Asbestos abatement was carried over the summer as part of a 2- to 3-year modernization project but continued during the first week of school when students were back in class, a decision many parents believed put their children at risk.