Charles Epps, JC School District Superintendent, promises to have the lead remediation plan available by the of week of Oct. 20.
To read the letter please click on the image above.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Letter from Epps to PCUE regarding lead remediation plan
Charles Epps, JC School District Superintendent, promises to have the lead remediation plan available by the of week of Oct. 20.
To read the letter please click on the image above.
Monday, October 6, 2008
PCUE Asks Dr. Epps for Lead Remediation Plan
Parents and Communities United for Education (PCUE)
Office: 201-9182918 -- Email:pcue.info@seocnj.org
September 30, 2008
Dear Dr. Epps,
We are writing you today to first and foremost thank you for responding to our concerns and your work in ensuring that our public schools were tested for lead and also for your efforts in providing our children with water coolers in the schools.
On Sept.3, 2008, Mr. Roger Jones, your spokesperson, told the Jersey Journal that a remediation plan to permanently correct lead problem in drinking water would be ready within 30 days. The 30-day mark, (Oct. 3rd) is fast approaching, and we are anxiously awaiting this plan/timeline. We, as the concerned parents of children in your district are requesting that a copy that of this remediation plan/timeline be sent to our office by Oct. 8th when our members meet to review it. Your cooperation in this matter is much appreciated.
Sincerely
Louella McFadden, President of P.C.U.E.
CC:
All School Board Members
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Jersey Journal: Parents group to rally at board of ed over water quality
Parents group to rally at board of education over water quality
by The Jersey Journal Wednesday September 03, 2008, 10:31 AM
A parents group plans to hold a rally today in front of the Jersey City Board of Education to ask for changes in district policy in the wake of tests showing lead in some school water sources.
The rally, by the group Parents and Communities United for Education, will be from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in front of 346 Claremont Ave.
The group is asking the board to create a health and environmental safety committee that includes three parents, an "indoor air quality walk through team" including three parents and issue semi-annual health and safety report cards for each school.Read the comments on line:
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2008/09/parents_group_to_rally_at_boar.html
Jersey Journal: Sullied water sparks rally
Sullied school water sparks rally
Thursday, September 04, 2008
By LYSA CHEN
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Jersey City parents and children rallied outside the Board of Education building yesterday, asking for more transparency and faster action as the district moves to clean up lead found in drinking water at schools this summer.
The final results of the district's voluntary lead testing program, released last month, found that 3 percent of water sources at school buildings have elevated levels of lead, even when the faucets were allowed to run for a few minutes. The federal Environmental Protection Agency lead standard for drinking water is no more than 20-parts-per-billion.
"Now what?" shouted parents, as they marched outside the Claremont Avenue building, chanting and carrying signs.
"Our experience shows that if parents do not speak up, do not organize, then the district procrastinates," said Mahmood Ketabchi, organizer of the Parents and Communities United for Education rally.
PCUE leaders demanded a timeline for the district's lead clean-up by the end of the month, creation of a BOE standing committee dedicated to environmental issues, an indoor air quality walk-through that includes parents, and a semi-annual health and safety report card for each school.
Within 30 days, the district will announce a permanent remedy to the elevated lead problem, said Roger Jones, a spokesman for the district.
Any water sources that showed elevated levels of lead were shut off and water coolers were dispatched to the schools, he added.
"We're on their side whether they understand it or not," Jones said, referring to the ralliers. "We welcome this dialogue. By no means are our doors closed."
Read the article on line:
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Press Release: Parents Want Healthy Schools
Parents &
Communities
United for
Education
For Immediate Release
Sept. 3, 2008
Rally for Healthy Schools, Wednesday, 12:30pm Sept. 3
Parents Urge Epps and School Board on Safe Water
and Healthy Schools
Parents and Communities United for Education (PCUE), the
PCUE’s Proposed Initiative Include:
- Creating a standing committee of the Board of Education that is exclusively responsible for the health and environmental safety of our schools. Three parents should be a part of this committee.
- Creating an Indoor Air Quality Walkthrough Team following EPA guidelines at the district level. This team should include parents.
- Issuing semi-annual health and safety report cards for each school to parents of children in
LueElla McFadden, President of PCUE and a great grandmother of a child in School # 38 stated that “we cannot allow another debacle like the lead problem to occur or a school to be closed because of mold problems.” “Our schools in this city are by and large very old, some over 100 years. Our school district must make health and environmental safety a top priority,“ she added.
Plan to Remediate Lead Problem
On August 6, 08, the JC Board of Education released the final test results for the last set of schools. A tally of the test results for all schools shows that more than 10% of water sources tested have elevated lead in the first draw - samples taken after the water source have not been used for at least 8 hours, and about 3% in the second draw - samples taken after the water had been allowed to run from water sources for a few minutes.
“The Board has announced that they plan to develop a remediation plan to correct the lead problem. But they have not said when such plan would be ready,” said Edna Williams, Vice President of PCUE and a grandmother of two children in School # 34. “We are concerned that our school officials will procrastinate as they did with the testing. This is about our children and their health, and we do not take it lightly. We are asking the Board to develop a remediation plan with a clear timeline by the end of September. Also, as parents and members of the community we want to know what that plan is. Therefore, they should share that plan with the public,” she stated.
Loyda Goldston, PCUE First Vice President said, “In any schools where water is completely or partially shut off, children must be given clean bottled water and not told to bring their own drinking water.” “The board also expects parents to send toilet paper to school with their children. That is ridiculous! Our schools have a budget of $630 million. Today we have brought with us rolls of toilet paper and a pack of bottled water to the board. This is our first and last donation. We need them to do their job.”
PCUE is a grassroots organization of parents, grandparents, and concerned members of the community. It is a chapter of the Statewide Education Organizing Committee of NJ. PCUE is committed to organizing parents in all
____________________________________________
Contact:September 2, 2008 LueElla McFadden, President—201-918-2918
Loyda Goldston, 1st Vice-president-- 973-204-4121
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