Parents and Communities United for Education (PCUE)
201-918-2918
For Immediate Release
May 23, 2008
Parents assemble at the Board meeting: “Tell ALL parents
about water test results before schools close in June!”
On Thursday, May 22, about 40 parents and children assembled at the Jersey City Board of Education meeting to urge School Superintendent Dr. Epps and members of the Board of Education to speed up water testing so that it can be done in time to tell parents from all schools about the test result before the end of the school year. The testing that is being currently conducted has been delayed for almost two years.
Since March of this year, PCUE has begun a Healthy Schools Campaign to safeguard the safety and well-being of
While assembling at the Board’s meeting, participants held signs in English and Spanish such as “Act Now! No More Promises,” “Speed Up Water Testing,” and Test Result for Water: Tell All Parents.”
Telissa Dowling, a parent leader with Parents and Communities United for Education told the Board that putting the test results on the website is a good idea, something that PCUE has been pushing for. However, she added that most parents do not use computers. The usual way the Board communicates with parents is through letters sent home with children. Ms. Dowling gave the board copies of over 400 postcards in support of the PCUE Healthy Schools Campaign
Neither Epps nor any Board member made a comment how they plan to address the problem. “I am very upset that our District’s leaders are not responding to our concern that all parents be informed about this critical health issue,” said Ms. LoueElla McFadden, great-grandmother of a child at school 38 “there are thousands of parents who will not learn about the test results. This is not the leadership our children deserve!” she added.
On May 7, in a letter to parents, school staff, and administration, the Board announced the schedule for testing all 45
At the Facility Committee meeting of the BOE, PCUE leaders were told that test results for some of the school tested will be available in the first week of June. However, based on the Board’s testing schedule, parents from at least a dozen schools, including parents from the schools that have had lead problems detected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency since Sept. 2006, may never find out about the test results. In September 2006, when EPA warned the Jersey City Public Schools about high levels of lead in drinking water in six schools, the district failed to notify parents and the community until it became a national news story 18 month later.
Parents want a comprehensive "Healthy Schools Program"
PCUE’s campaign has highlighted health hazards in schools and proposed a four-point proposal including:
1. Immediately test drinking water in all schools and keep parents fully informed, 2. Create a standing committee of BOE members and parents that will be exclusively responsible for school health and safety, 3. Create an Indoor Air Quality Team at the district level following EPA guidelines, and 4. Issue semi-annual health and safety report cards for each school to be sent to parents and posted on the District’s website.
PCUE is a grassroots organization of parents, grandparents, and concerned members of the community that is a chapter of the Statewide Education Organizing Committee of NJ. PCUE is committed to organizing parents in all
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Contacts:
LueElla McFadden-201-780-1933
Loyda Goldston-973-204-4121
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