EPA Intervention Sought: Jersey City School District not abiding by its agreement

For Immediate Release

May 29, 2008

EPA Intervention Sought:

Jersey City School District not abiding by its agreement to notify

all parents about the test results for water quality

On Thursday, May 29, 2008, Parents and Communities United for Education (PCUE) sent a letter to Ms. Dore LaPosta, Director of the Division of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance at the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Region 2 that has been engaged in testing drinking water in Jersey City Schools since August 2006. PCUE asked Ms. LaPosta to intervene to get the Jersey City Public School District to abide by its agreement with EPA, specifically with respect to the EPA’s communication guidelines to notify parents from all schools about the test results for drinking water.

In September 2006, the EPA warned Jersey City School District about the high level of lead in the drinking water of six schools. Despite its agreement with the EPA, the District failed to notify parents and the community and has just recently, after 21 months delay, begun testing drinking water of all Jersey City schools.

On May 7, in a letter to parents, school staff, and administration, the Board announced the schedule for testing all 45 Jersey City school buildings. According to the schedule, the testing will continue until June 25, when schools are closed. The last set of school buildings (Dickinson High School, PS 6, 7, 8, 25, 27, 28, 31, 11, and the A Harry Moore and BOE building) will be tested from June 12 until June 25. Thousands of parents will not learn about the test results by letters sent home with their children if the Board’s testing schedule is not accelerated.

“The Board needs to speed up its testing and notify all parents of results before school ends,” said PCUE parent leader LueElla McFadden, “because they promised and because it’s the right thing to do for our children. They should notify parents by sending letter home to them, as they always do. ”

Parents and Communities United for Education is the Jersey City chapter of the Statewide Education Organizing Committee. For more information, parents are invited to call 201-918-2918.

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Contacts:

LueElla McFadden-201-780-1933

Loyda Goldston-973-204-4121