Can we make Philly schools safer, healthier?
Deplorable building conditions are present in too many Philadelphia public schools resulting in serious health and safety consequences for students and staff. For the past many years, I have been involved in evaluating, measuring, and documenting these dangerous environmental conditions in Philadelphia public schools. I do this work on behalf of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers Health & Welfare Fund & Union so that we can provide practical, implementable, and necessary recommendations for controlling these dangers.
The PFT is the largest internal stakeholder group in our schools representing more than 11,000 educational and support staff and they also have direct, primary responsibility for the education, care, support and protection of the more than 130,000 students in their daily charge.
Staff and students share the same buildings and face the same conditions day in and day out: “Student Learning Conditions Are School Staff Working Conditions.” It is therefore crucial for school staff, students and parents, to work closely together to help ensure that the schools in which we work, learn and send our kids are safe, healthy, comfortable, warm and dry.
I’ve seen elementary school classroom desks, chairs, floors and books covered with lead-containing paint chips and dust. I’ve seen damaged asbestos insulation material in educational spaces, and extensive, visible mold growth covering ceilings, walls and floors in classrooms, bathrooms, libraries and cafeterias. A number of schools have unguarded radiators and uninsulated, scalding hot steam pipes, with temperatures as high as 190 degrees accessible to children presenting a burn hazard.
I have documented extensive asthma triggers, including rodent and insect infestation, droppings and nesting materials, elevated moisture and humidity, and dust from damaged plaster and sheetrock walls and ceilings; these conditions persist in way too many of our school buildings.
From: Can we make Philly schools safer, healthier?
By: Jerry Roseman
