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Health officials in Massachusetts are launching an investigation after several teachers at Uxbridge High School have been diagnosed with breast cancer over the last several years.
The “sobering” announcement was made by Uxbridge Public Schools Superintendent David Ljungberg and Uxbridge High School Principal Michael Rubin in a letter to parents Monday, just days after graduation celebrations for the Class of 2026.
And even though officials have cautioned that the investigation does not indicate a connection between the diagnoses, according to Boston 25 News, the community has still been rocked by the announcement.
“One of the teachers, she had to leave early because of breast cancer. So she’s out for right now, and we don’t know if she’ll be back,” Jayden Dubois, a student at the school, told NBC 10 Boston. “Some of the students were just heartbroken about it, because she’s a nice teacher.”
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health will visit the school on Thursday to test the air quality, after ruling out water supply as a risk factor. The interior and exterior of the building – including electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems – will also be tested to ensure there are no risks present. An evaluation into the previous uses of the school site will also be carried out.
DPH officials have said that there is “no evidence of immediate danger in the building and no reason to limit access to or use of the facility at this time,” while classes and school activities will carry on as normal while the evaluations are carried out, Ljungberg and Rubin said in their letter.
“The health and safety of all of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We are fortunate to be working closely with a team that has deep expertise in these matters, and we are grateful for your patience and cooperation while we navigate this rigorous review process together,” they added. “Public health officials have commended our decision to approach them with these concerns, our readiness to partner with them in support of the evaluation process, and our willingness to communicate with full transparency to the entire school community.”
The investigation has been welcomed by the teachers at the school. The Uxbridge Teachers Association said in a statement that it “applauds the efforts made by the Uxbridge Public Schools administration and building leadership to ensure that students and staff are learning in safe and healthy environments.”
“The district has kept the staff informed throughout the process and has supported the educators through their medical treatments,” the group added. “While early indications suggest that there are no environmental factors at Uxbridge High School putting students and staff at risk for breast cancer, the Uxbridge Teachers Association fully supports the investigation by public health experts and is urging members to assist however possible in this work.”
Health officials are also carrying out research into the cancer cases of the impacted teachers – including age, medical and genetic history – to “assess the statistical likelihood of common causes,” Ljungberg and Rubin’s letter said.
Dr Sam Nardello, medical director of the Breast Health Center at Tufts Medical Center, told NBC 10 that there there are many different contributing causes to breast cancer, noting that “it affects about 1 in 8 women” and that approximately 250,000 women are diagnosed every year.
He also told WBZ that it is unlikely a direct link will be found at the school.
“Most breast cancers are environmentally linked. About 15-20 percent are genetically linked, but the environmental factors that we know about are typically things like, smoking and alcohol, are the biggest risk factors,” Nardello said. “There are chemical components, but those are much more rare and not something that we are easily able to identify.”
The Independent has requested comment from the school.
