Tigard-Tualatin School District gets a five year head start on radon testing.

Radon is a radioactive, colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is known to cause lung cancer.

Testing for radon is a new law and it requires the district’s plans for testing to be due on Sept. 1. The actual testing date is not supposed to be until sometime in 2021.

TTSD decided to get a jump on testing. On April 4 TRC Environment put radon detection devices in classrooms throughout the district.

It caught some teachers off guard.

“I had a meeting at PCC and apparently they put that there on Tuesday while I was gone,” Digital Arts and Photographer Teacher Chuck Laiti said. “When I got back my phone was in the way, and I pushed it. I then became aware that there was something behind it that I didn’t know about.”

The detection devices are small, round, and red so Laiti said he didn’t see until it was too late. Laiti pushed the device off his desk by accident and then picked it up to see what the circular contraption was.

It wasn’t until after he picked it up that he saw the piece of paper that said “DON’T MOVE.” It’s now sitting under his desk and he remains unclear as to what to do with it.

“So I don’t know what they want me to do now, but I don’t know who to talk to because I don’t even have any idea who put it here,” said Laiti.

When the testing is complete, it has been said that the parents and staff will be notified and informed of the results but there is no set date for when that will happen.