Canberran Liane Joubert learned her son Janku's school would be closed this morning after a call from his specialist bus service. Cranleigh School in Holt is among 16 public schools shut by the ACT government after traces of asbestos were found in decorative coloured sand used for sensory play and arts and crafts.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission issued a recall for Kadink Decorative Sand after detecting chrysotile asbestos in lab tests. Ms Joubert said Cranleigh was initially partially closed, but parents were notified at 7:30am of a full closure for the day, causing significant disruption.
Ms Joubert expressed concern that her son, who “eats everything,” may have ingested the sand. She noted the sand had been at the school for a while, raising fears about the duration of exposure. Despite the chaos, she praised school staff for their efforts to assess the situation.
ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry reassured families the risk was low, calling the closures a precautionary measure. The ACT Education Union backed the decision, with branch president Angela Burroughs stating safety comes first. Deputy director-general Angela Spence said parents would be informed by Sunday afternoon if schools would reopen Monday.
