Several parents, opposed to converting an old chemical company into an elementary school, say they are now organized and ready to fight. But a face-off between the new coalition and the Leander Independent School District will not take place Tuesday night.

The site is dotted with orange marker flags. But for those who have created this new coalition, there is also a lot of red flags. A recent environmental test determined there are elevated levels of toxic chemical at the site. It was once a research and chemical development company. The plan is to open this fall as the new Grandview Hills Elementary School. Several parents are opposed to that idea.

“I think there is too much risk at this school,” said Christine Ackerson, parent.

Ackerson is one of six parents leading a fight against the Leander Independent School District project. According to Ackerson, they formed a group called the Clean Schools Initiative in hopes of building a grassroots campaign.

“We are willing to organize our community with a petition, with our Web site, educate them on what has been found here, and we are going to try to stop this school or at least delay the opening of the school, until the district can prove to us it is safe,” said Ackerson.

The group is circulating results from the latest environmental testing at the site. Elevated levels of toxic chemicals have been found under the building and on the campus grounds. Despite that, school officials say the levels of contamination are not high enough to justify suspending work.

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The district stands behind earlier statements that the site is safe.

“Trying to paint this as a difference of opinion between use and parents would really be inaccurate. We have the exact same concerns they have,” said Bill Britcher, LISD Spokesperson.

Coalition members believe the project is being fast tracked and forced on them. They say they are willing to make this an issue in the upcoming school board elections.

“We’ve contacted our legislators, we have we are contacting our community, we are going to make this a community issue and apply pressure that way.”

More testing is underway. A meeting with the community will not take place until the report is done. That may not happen until it has been reviewed by the state.