Are schools making kids sick?
Programming note: For more about environmental health issues in the classroom, watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta's report "Toxic Schools" on "CNN Presents" tonight and Sunday at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET on CNN.
(CNN) -- As a third-grader in Winsted, Connecticut, last year, Matthew Asselin was sick -- a lot. He was lethargic and plagued with a persistent wet cough, respiratory infections and painful headaches.
As the school year wound down, Matthew's health worsened. He was out for two weeks in the spring with pneumonia and then developed a sinus infection so severe he needed to spend the night at the hospital, where he received intravenous antibiotics and breathing treatments.
In all, Matthew missed 53 days of school.
But over the summer, a strange thing happened. Matthew was healthy. He was energetic. He could ride his bike for hours at a time.
(...)
Matthew's parents concluded that the 9-year-old's school, Hinsdale Elementary, was making their son sick.
full: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/14/health/school-indoor-air-pollution/index.html
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My classroom had water-stained/molded ceiling tiles for years, just like those in the pictures. I begged for them to be replaced, took 7 yrs! Then within 2 months they were right back w/stains & mold again. There are some heating /ac units covered in black mold! And have been for decades!
This is a bottom-line problem that is coming home to roost.
1. Many of our schools are over 35 yrs old.
2. The newer buildings were built w/o windows & w/few doors, not allowing for much fresh air flow.
3. Maintenance was seldom (or never done) on building because of lazy workers, or cost savings.
The air filters were not changed for years & years!
4. School systems are having to use valuable funds to satisfy NCLB mandates that do little to improve the educational setting. Testing companies are the benefactors....kids' health suffers.
and from my experience the biggest problem:
5. OUTSOURCING OF JANITORIAL JOBS!
A. Job was always awarded to the lowest bidder.
B. Once company was awarded job they did little oversight.
C. Janitorial supervisors "buddyed-up" (or worse) to school administrators so there was never any accountability expected.
D. Janitors did poor, half-way jobs.....if they did anything at all.
(Example: The sinks were only cleaned over the summer, or if a kid threw-up in them.)
E. Teachers ended up having to do this job, too. (See: "Why Johnny Can't Read"
It really is a wonder more kids don't have extremely serious health problems from spending so many hours in such unhealthy conditions most of the day. Many of us teachers had serious respiratory problems.....quite a few needing surgery.
But, we know teachers are disposable....just ask Scott Walker.
And kids don't vote, or pay taxes.
Why is it acceptable for our children to spend the majority of their waking hours in buildings that we wouldn't allow to remain standing if used for any other purpose? Buildings we would vacate if they weren't schools?
We don't pay for proper maintenance of our school buildings either. I taught in a brand new school once where people were getting sick. Turned out the filter system for the heat and a/c wasn't adequate. But the district did not have the money to make it work correctly so they sued the builder instead. While lawyers wrangled, students and teachers kept getting sick.
