Embargoed for Release: Contacts:
Monday, August 23, 2004 See information below
National Media Statements on
Back To School Checklist and
Federal School Renovation
and Remediation Funds
Center for Health, Environment & Justice
“Every parent, student, teacher
and community has a right to know the environmental health effects of their
school practices. Poor indoor air
quality, exposure to chemicals in pesticides, cleaning supplies, and
contaminated school grounds will negatively impact the school community’s
health for years to come. It is our
responsibility to explore the long-standing harmful habits of school operations
and replace them with preventative and precautionary methods. Schools should take the lead on redefining practices to
embrace the precautionary approach, shifting the questions we ask about
environmental hazards from what level of harm is acceptable to how
can we prevent harm?” Lois Marie Gibbs, Executive Director,
703-627-9483 (Cell)
Coalition for Healthier Schools/Healthy Schools
Network, Inc.
“There is nothing more basic than restoring fresh
air and sunshine to our schools. We
have a moral obligation to protect and promote the health of children. Clear and convincing research shows that
improving indoor environments, siting, design, and using nontoxic products for
instruction and for maintenance, and having safe outdoor activity areas will
all contribute to improving child health and public education, and to creating
healthier communities. For every child
with asthma, with learning problems, with serious illness or disability, the
facility environment truly matters. While some hazards are easily prevented, we
must have the federal and state commitments and the support to design, to
build, and to maintain schools as healthy and high performance community
facilities. A healthy school is essential to having a healthy child and a
healthy community. Claire L. Barnett, Executive Director, 212-482-0204.
National PTA
"National PTA believes that safe and healthy public schools are crucial to the success of our children. Key to protecting our children is parent involvement and increased funding for school construction and renovation to repair hazardous conditions. National PTA urges the use of this environmental checklist that provides parents with an opportunity to identify hazardous conditions, and we will continue working to unite parents, teachers, school administrators, students, and community leaders to make sure that every child receives a quality education in facilities that are safe." Linda Hodge, 312-670-6782.
Beyond
Pesticides
“Many people assume that schools are environmentally safe
places for children to learn. Yet, it often takes a pesticide poisoning,
repeated illnesses or a strong advocate to alert a school district to the
adverse health effects of pesticides and the viability of safer pest management
strategies. Schools that have chosen to adopt such strategies, such as an
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, use alternatives to the prevailing
chemical-intensive practices because of the health risk such practices pose to
children and other school users. IPM is an approach that has been implemented
in communities, schools, and government facilities for decades. The tools and
experience to control school pests without using hazardous chemicals are
available nationwide and have proven to be effective and economical." Kagan
Owens, Program Director, 202-543-5450.
Children’s
Health Environmental Coalition
“We
cannot underestimate the importance of addressing the environmental health
issues outlined in the Back to School Environmental Checklist. Every parent
must act as an advocate for their child to ensure that their school environment
is a truly healthy one." Elizabeth Sword, Executive Director, 609-252-1915.
Institute for Children’s Environmental Health
“Having
a healthy school environment is imperative in order for all children to reach
their fullest potential. If a child's ability to learn, pay attention and
interact with peers and teachers is undermined by harmful environmental
exposures, we are not only doing a disservice to the next generation, but to
society overall. BE SAFE and the national Coalition for Healthy Schools offer
excellent recommendations for creating healthier school environments—let's
implement them!” Elise Miller, M.Ed., Executive Director, 360-331-7904.
Learning Disabilities Association of America
“Everyday we are unwittingly exposed to more and more harmful substances that adversely impact our health. We all want to believe our children are safe when we send them off to school, and the Back to School Environmental Checklist gives parents an easy-to-use tool to assure that happens. Exposure to mold, exhaust fumes, toxic cleaning substances, and dangerous pesticides place our children and teachers, at risk of myriad illnesses including developmental problems. Our kids deserve the safest possible environment in which to learn and grow. Implementing this Environmental Checklist is a great way to start the school year by drawing the attention of school administrators and the community to the need for vigilance in protecting our children.” Kathy Lawson, Healthy Children Project Coordinator, 412-341-1515 x 208.
California Safe Schools
“California
Safe Schools is proud to support the BE SAFE Platform & Back to School
Environmental Checklist. As scientists
continue to find links between individual genes and diseases, they are also
discovering that particular substances in the environment can ‘turn off’ or
‘turn on’ these genes. Eliminating environmental toxins in our schools is key
to preventing harm. That’s why in 1999 California Safe Schools worked with Los
Angeles Unified School District (2nd largest school district in USA) to create
the most stringent pesticide policy in the nation for schools. The policy was
the first in the United States to embrace the Precautionary Principle and
includes Parents Right to Know. The policy has become a model for school
districts and communities throughout the nation." Robina Suwol,
Executive Director, 818-785-5515.