An instructor for a city-sponsored asbestos abatement training said the program itself is at fault for five students who can not receive state certification.

Officials with the city's Commission on Equal Opportunities, however, allege the instructor, James Eidson, presented false credentials when he was contracted to teach a 32-hour course on asbestos removal, and therefore the state Department of Public Health has rejected the students' applications for licensing.

Eidson counters that it is the program, the Construction Workforce Initiative that is not recognized by the state Department of Public Health, which issues licenses to asbestos abatement workers and training providers.

The truth seems to lie somewhere in the middle.

A state health department spokeswoman said the Construction Workforce Initiative is not accredited through the department to provide the training on its own and must contract with a certified provider.

That's where Eidson comes in. He was hired by the Commission on Equal Opportunities, but is not individually certified to teach the course. Eidson would have to affiliate with a certified organization, the spokeswoman said.

CEO Executive Director Nichole Jefferson said the department departed from past practice and hired Eidson instead of a firm it has worked with for past courses, based on a positive referral from CEO's Steering Committee.

"We're not going to do that anymore," Jefferson said, adding a new class will be scheduled and the five from the last round have priority for enrollment.

Hildred Pearson, who sets up the training sessions for the Construction Workforce Initiative program, said Eidson did an "excellent" job at teaching, but when he failed to produce identification tags, certificates of completion and an instructor's license number on the final day of the course, she contacted the Health Department.

Eidson had a license until June 30 for asbestos consultant and inspection-management planner, according to the Health Department