Rep. Graves asking RFK Jr. to look into cancer cases at Liberty school
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An alarming number of cancer cases at a Kansas City-area school has a local congress member asking for government help.
U.S. Rep. Sam Graves wrote a letter this week to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., asking for his agency's help in looking into a 'concerning number of cancer diagnoses' reported among staff from Warren Hills Elementary School in Liberty. The school is located within the Republican congressman's district.
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In response, Liberty Public Schools acknowledged that while community members have questions, the district has been assured by local and state health agencies that the school is safe.
In his letter dated May 12, Rep. Graves wrote that since 2013, at least six staff members have developed breast cancer, with another unexpectedly dying after a short battle with liver cancer last fall.
He said many parents 'have deep and growing concerns' about sending their children to school there.
While the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services conducted a radon testing study in 2015 that found no issues at the school, and the Clay County Public Health Center conducted a public health study in 2022, Rep. Graves stated there hasn't been a comprehensive study into what's going on, and that's why he's asking Secretary Kennedy for help.
The school has fewer than 650 students and about 40 teachers, according to the letter.
FOX4 has reached out to Rep. Graves' office for any updates on his request. Read the full letter from Rep. Graves here.
The school district created a section on its website about this issue, including a January letter from the Clay County Public Health Center that maintained the breast cancer rate at the school is 'no higher than expected for the community.'
The school district sent the following statement Wednesday to FOX4:
'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.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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