Meeting set to review potential cancer cluster at Liberty elementary school
This request is an extension of the 'cancer cluster investigation' carried out in 2022.
Rep. Graves asking RFK Jr. to look into cancer cases at Liberty school
To date, 10 staff members have been diagnosed with various cancers, mostly breast cancer. The committee is set to meet on June 25 to review the diagnosis data and determine the next steps.
The Clay County Public Health Center and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services in previous years concluded '…there is no evidence to suggest that the breast cancer rate at Warren Hills Elementary is higher than expected, which means no environmental investigation is warranted.'
Regardless, the school district said it has initiated a series of environmental tests.
Warren-Hills-Follow-Up-Letter-with-Attachments-5.14.25Download
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A document dated May 8, 2025, written by a staff member of the Clay County Public Health Center says, 'to date, the school has received information on a total of 7 breast cancer cases, 1 cervical, 1 brain and 1 throat cancer among their staff. There are also potentially concerns about student populations as of 2025.'
'One of the environmental concerns raised by school staff has been related to the on-site cell tower,' the document reads.
In 2022 and 2023, the school district investigated the tower; it received a compliance report confirming full adherence to FCC standards.
In regard to the 'cancer cluster inquiry' on April 17, the district shared the following message:
'The District became aware that the Clay County Public Health Center (CCPHC), the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS), along with the Missouri Cancer Registry were prepared to move forward with requesting/initiating a follow up cancer cluster inquiry at Warren Hills. The District promptly expressed its support for this effort and offered our assistance. This week, the District received confirmation that these agencies made a formal recommendation to the Missouri Cancer Inquiry Advisory Committee to proceed with the inquiry. We were notified today, (05/14/25) that the Committee will meet on 6/25/25 to formally review the diagnosis data and determine next steps.'
You can find the other assessments made by the district here.
According to school's website, in August of 2022, the district was notified by the principal at Warren Hills Elementary that several staff members had received cancer diagnoses in recent years.
Since then, follow-up tests have been conducted, including water testing, radon testing and air quality testing.
Sara Peterson-Davis' daughter attended the school, starting in the 3rd grade, when the family moved to the area 22 years ago. She said the unknown and recent news is concerning.
'It seems incredibly unusual to have that cluster of people who have the same cancer who worked in the same proximity of each other,' she said. 'It would be nice to know…I mean, it would be crucial to know actually what the problem is.
'It's a school; there are children; there are staff. People want to be safe where they work and where they live and where they learn.'
You can see a timeline of when concerns were brought to the school and how the district handled them, as well as the agencies that were/are involved, here.
A statement provided by Liberty Public Schools reads:
'Liberty Public Schools is committed to providing safe and healthy learning environments at all of our schools and facilities. Specifically to Warren Hills Elementary, in recent years our team has been in close contact with the Clay County Public Health Center, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Children's Mercy Environmental Health, and the Missouri Cancer Registry, as we have responded to specific health and environmental concerns expressed by Warren Hills staff. We are thankful for their expertise and partnerships and will continue to work with them as we move forward. Their work has been, and will continue to be, essential in leading and guiding us. In following the guidance and determinations made by the health agencies listed above, we have been assured that the school is safe for the Warren Hills community. Having said this, we also fully recognize that this school community has had questions related to this, and it is of the utmost importance to us to support them with information and resources. Throughout, our focus has been on the well-being of our staff and students as we have worked to provide support to the Warren Hills school community. An account of all of the work completed to date has been published and made available on the Warren Hills school website, which is updated regularly. We will continue to remain engaged with the staff, families, and school community and provide them updates, as necessary.'
The district said it was notified Wednesday that there will be a meeting held by the committee on June 25 to look more into this.
Congressman Sam Graves has asked for federal help with uncovering the root causes in the 'concerning number of cancer diagnoses amongst staff and students at Warren Hills Elementary School in Liberty, Missouri.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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