PRESS RELEASE: Parents Urge Epps to Address Unsafe School Conditions

For Immediate Release Contacts: Telissa Dowling 201-724-1408

March 18, 2008 Loyda Goldston 973-204-4121

Parents Urge Epps to Address Unsafe School Conditions

On Tuesday March 11, 2008, 14 leaders from Parents and Communities United for Education (PCUE) met with Jersey City school district Superintendent Dr. Charles Epps to express their concern for children’s health while at school and urged him to adopt PCUE’s four-point proposal to make JC schools healthy and free from environmental hazards.

PCUE’s Four-Point Proposal

1. Follow EPA’s communication guidelines and notify parents and the community about the results for testing drinking water in all JC schools and the plans for correcting any identified problems.
2. Create a standing committee at the BOE that will be exclusively responsible for the health and safety of our schools.
3. Create an Indoor Air Quality Team (IAQT) at the district level following Environmental Protection Agency’s suggested model.
4. Establish and enforce the policy that parents have a right to know that the schools their children go to are free from health and environmental hazards.

Daniel Aguilar a parent of two children in school number 25 and 31, both of which have unhealthy levels of lead in their drinking water stated that “Dr. Epps told us that he would follow EPA’s communication guidelines with parents and the community about testing the drinking water in schools. I find that very encouraging, professional, and a sign of willingness to fix the problem. But, I would like him to notify parents and the community what is his timeline for testing and remedying any identified lead problems before the end of this school year.” Mr. Aguilar added “According to the press, the district was told by EPA, in September 2006, about high level of lead in drinking water in my children’s schools. Then, parents were not properly and timely informed. Now, I hope, as Dr. Epps said at the meeting, he would let us know what the district is planning to do – and when.”

Louella McFadden, a great grand parent of a child in school 38, said “I was happy to see that Dr. Epps met with us, but I was dismayed to see that he rejected our proposal to create a health and safety committee and Indoor Air Quality Team, both of which would include parents.”

Another parent, Loyda Goldston with three children in school 34 said “Dr. Epps agreed with our proposal to issue health and safety report cards for each school. PCUE wants to see this report card go to parents every six months starting in August 2008. There should be no delay when it comes to the health and well-being of our children”

Problem affects thousands

In Jersey City, a total 29,288 students (12.5% of Jersey City population), 2,900 teachers, and many other school staff spend an important part of their day in public schools across the city. During this academic year alone, for example, thousands of children in our public schools had unpleasant experiences because of unhealthy conditions in their schools. Mold problems caused the sudden shut-down of PS 15 for three weeks. The latest example was the high levels of lead in drinking water for six schools (11, 23, 31, 25, 6, 27, and 25), a health hazard that school officials were aware of for more than a year. Concerns regarding school health and safety are common among parents. This concern is shared by many teachers, school staff, and administrators.

Call for A Day of Awareness and Action

On April 28, National Day of Healthy Schools, PCUE will join many other cities across the state and the country in community events to educate the public about the urgency of assuring safe water and air conditions in schools and to urge public school officials to improve health and environmental safety of our schools.

PCUE leaders were among parents who successfully got the Board of Education to televise their monthly committee meetings in 2006. PCUE is a grassroots organization of parents, grand parents, and concerned members of the community that is a chapter of the Statewide Education Organizing Committee of NJ.