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Fury and Worry Fuel Malibu Parents, District In the Hot Seat
http://www.malibutimes.com/news/article_5fea5efa-17aa-11e4-9185-001a4bcf887a.html
Fury and Worry Fuel Malibu Parents, District In the Hot Seat
Sources say at least 15 students will not be returning to Malibu High, Middle School or Juan Cabrillo.
Posted: Wednesday, July 30, 2014 7:00 am | Updated: 3:06 pm, Wed Jul 30, 2014.
By Melissa Caskey
The beginning of August is normally the time for parents and children to enjoy the waning days of summer vacation and start shopping for back to school supplies, but summer 2014 has been far from normal for Malibu families.
Many remain angry at the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and unconvinced that Malibu High, Middle School and Juan Cabrillo Elementary are safe enough for their children to attend. According to sources with knowledge of the situation, at least 15 students have been withdrawn from the schools by their parents because of the ongoing environmental situation. That number could rise as the first day of school nears and certain questions remain unanswered.
“My kids do not want to leave their schools, teachers and friends and it is so unfair that we are being put in this position by the district,” said Malibu parent Beth Lucas, who is still undecided as to whether she will allow her kids to remain in the district. Classes begin Tuesday, Aug. 19.
Dozens of letters have streamed in to Superintendent Sandra Lyon, Malibu City Councilmembers and Board of Education members, mostly urging local leaders for clarity on the environmental safety of Malibu’s schools.
Much of the urgency has been fueled by testing results funded and released by local activist group Malibu Unites (MU) and the D.C.- based group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Those results showed some classrooms contain caulk consisting of up to “one-third” cancer-causing carcinogens known as PCBs. The testing was completed after members of MU and PEER grew frustrated with the district and apparently took matters into their own hands by removing caulk samples from classrooms at Juan Cabrillo Elementary School, Malibu High and Malibu Middle School. In the aftermath, Lyon criticized MU and PEER for sampling caulk materials without district knowledge, a response some parents deemed inappropriate.
“To add insult to injury, Sandra Lyon has the gall to respond to this revelation with a complaint that the Juan Cabrillo samples were taken ‘surreptitiously.’ Who cares?” parent Joshua Malina wrote in a letter to the editor this week.
“Our classrooms are toxic. A year has been lost,” he continued, in reference to nearly a year ago in October when news of the environmental scare first broke as three diagnoses of thyroid cancer and other thyroid illnesses among teachers caused some to fear the illnesses had been caused by building materials at the aging schools.
<>
Fury and Worry Fuel Malibu Parents, District In the Hot Seat
Sources say at least 15 students will not be returning to Malibu High, Middle School or Juan Cabrillo.
Posted: Wednesday, July 30, 2014 7:00 am | Updated: 3:06 pm, Wed Jul 30, 2014.
By Melissa Caskey
The beginning of August is normally the time for parents and children to enjoy the waning days of summer vacation and start shopping for back to school supplies, but summer 2014 has been far from normal for Malibu families.
Many remain angry at the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and unconvinced that Malibu High, Middle School and Juan Cabrillo Elementary are safe enough for their children to attend. According to sources with knowledge of the situation, at least 15 students have been withdrawn from the schools by their parents because of the ongoing environmental situation. That number could rise as the first day of school nears and certain questions remain unanswered.
“My kids do not want to leave their schools, teachers and friends and it is so unfair that we are being put in this position by the district,” said Malibu parent Beth Lucas, who is still undecided as to whether she will allow her kids to remain in the district. Classes begin Tuesday, Aug. 19.
Dozens of letters have streamed in to Superintendent Sandra Lyon, Malibu City Councilmembers and Board of Education members, mostly urging local leaders for clarity on the environmental safety of Malibu’s schools.
Much of the urgency has been fueled by testing results funded and released by local activist group Malibu Unites (MU) and the D.C.- based group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Those results showed some classrooms contain caulk consisting of up to “one-third” cancer-causing carcinogens known as PCBs. The testing was completed after members of MU and PEER grew frustrated with the district and apparently took matters into their own hands by removing caulk samples from classrooms at Juan Cabrillo Elementary School, Malibu High and Malibu Middle School. In the aftermath, Lyon criticized MU and PEER for sampling caulk materials without district knowledge, a response some parents deemed inappropriate.
“To add insult to injury, Sandra Lyon has the gall to respond to this revelation with a complaint that the Juan Cabrillo samples were taken ‘surreptitiously.’ Who cares?” parent Joshua Malina wrote in a letter to the editor this week.
“Our classrooms are toxic. A year has been lost,” he continued, in reference to nearly a year ago in October when news of the environmental scare first broke as three diagnoses of thyroid cancer and other thyroid illnesses among teachers caused some to fear the illnesses had been caused by building materials at the aging schools.
<>
More: @PEERorg on Twitter
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http://www.myfoxla.com/story/26271249/parents-celebrities-demanding-safe-environment-at-malibu-high
Parents, Celebrities Demanding Safe Environment At Malibu High
Posted: Aug 13, 2014 10:23 AM PDT
Updated: Aug 13, 2014 10:25 AM PDT
By: Gina Silva, Special Projects Reporter
VIDEO AT LINK
Parents in Malibu are demanding a safe environment for all students attending Malibu High School and Juan Cabrillo Elementary School. At a star-studded news conference, former model Cindy Crawford said she's had enough of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. "I have lost some of my confidence in my school board and their promise to keep our teachers and students safe," said Crawford. In a passionate speech, actor and parent Josh Malina said, "They cover their eyes when they tell us that they're not gonna test the caulk in the classrooms, subscribing to the old falsehoods that what they don't know won't harm our kids."
At issue is a chemical called polychlorinated biphenyl or P-C-B. The Environmental Protection Agency conducted numerous tests and discovered two Malibu schools had high levels of P-C-B which can cause serious medical problems including cancer. EPA officials say the potentially harmful PCB ended up at schools starting in the 1950's through the use of caulk which was used to seal gaps in windows and doors. A clean up was conducted, new testing was done and EPA officials gave the all clear but parents say the caulk is still at the schools.
Crawford says, "The caulk is still there and so my feeling is to test the caulk and if it needs to be removed, lets remove the caulk. It doesn't seem like rocket science to me." Actor Ed Begley Jr. said, "I'm hoping that they do full testing and they find some way to remediate the PCB's found here in high levels. I don't want any of these kids put in harms way." Ricky Schroeder, another actor and parent with a student in Malibu expressed the same sentiment. He said, "It's a really risky chemical. It's better just to get it removed."
Oscar De La Torre, the only school board member present at the news conference said he understands the parents concern. He says other board members have warned him not to get involved.
School starts on Monday August 18th. No word from the district if classes will be postponed.
Parents, Celebrities Demanding Safe Environment At Malibu High
Posted: Aug 13, 2014 10:23 AM PDT
Updated: Aug 13, 2014 10:25 AM PDT
By: Gina Silva, Special Projects Reporter
VIDEO AT LINK
Parents in Malibu are demanding a safe environment for all students attending Malibu High School and Juan Cabrillo Elementary School. At a star-studded news conference, former model Cindy Crawford said she's had enough of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. "I have lost some of my confidence in my school board and their promise to keep our teachers and students safe," said Crawford. In a passionate speech, actor and parent Josh Malina said, "They cover their eyes when they tell us that they're not gonna test the caulk in the classrooms, subscribing to the old falsehoods that what they don't know won't harm our kids."
At issue is a chemical called polychlorinated biphenyl or P-C-B. The Environmental Protection Agency conducted numerous tests and discovered two Malibu schools had high levels of P-C-B which can cause serious medical problems including cancer. EPA officials say the potentially harmful PCB ended up at schools starting in the 1950's through the use of caulk which was used to seal gaps in windows and doors. A clean up was conducted, new testing was done and EPA officials gave the all clear but parents say the caulk is still at the schools.
Crawford says, "The caulk is still there and so my feeling is to test the caulk and if it needs to be removed, lets remove the caulk. It doesn't seem like rocket science to me." Actor Ed Begley Jr. said, "I'm hoping that they do full testing and they find some way to remediate the PCB's found here in high levels. I don't want any of these kids put in harms way." Ricky Schroeder, another actor and parent with a student in Malibu expressed the same sentiment. He said, "It's a really risky chemical. It's better just to get it removed."
Oscar De La Torre, the only school board member present at the news conference said he understands the parents concern. He says other board members have warned him not to get involved.
"Someone told me you're gonna be responsible for bankrupting the school district and I don't believe that. I'd rather be fiscally bankrupt and be on the right side of history than to be morally bankrupt and the on the wrong side," says De La Torre.
School starts on Monday August 18th. No word from the district if classes will be postponed.
http://www.malibutimes.com/news/article_1e46e304-22b5-11e4-8e3d-0019bb2963f4.html
Cindy Crawford Pledges Money for PCB Testing
Posted: Wednesday, August 13, 2014 7:00 am
By Emily Sawicki
Supermodel and Malibu mom Cindy Crawford, speaking on behalf of herself and husband Rande Gerber, Tuesday evening offered to foot the bill of the PCB cleanup at Malibu High School. She spoke during an evening rally in Malibu’s Civic Center.
“If money is an issue, Rande, my husband, and I have decided that we would happily pay for proper and thorough testing of all pre-1979 classrooms,” Crawford said to the crowd gathered outside of the Malibu Library.
“This is if they will let us. I don’t know how they could possibly say no,” Crawford added.
Crawford was speaking to an enthusiastic crowd of hundreds of MHS students, parents, Malibu citizens and celebrities, who were rallying in support of Malibu Unites, a nonprofit dedicated to proper disposal of PCBs at Malibu High School and Middle School.
PCB concerns arose in October 2013 when several Malibu High School teachers expressed fear that the diagnosis of three teachers with thyroid cancer could be related to contaminants on campus. PCBs were a common building material in the mid-20th century that have later been proven to cause health problems in those exposed to them.
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District board member Oscar de la Torre came to voice his support for Malibu Unites, clarifying that he was not speaking as a member of the school board.
He called for mobile classrooms at the high school to ensure students and faculty would not be in danger, “even if I’m the only one calling for it.”
<>
COMMENTS: Arcane discussion of EPA regulations includes poster who states, "I helped write them."
Cindy Crawford Pledges Money for PCB Testing
Posted: Wednesday, August 13, 2014 7:00 am
By Emily Sawicki
Supermodel and Malibu mom Cindy Crawford, speaking on behalf of herself and husband Rande Gerber, Tuesday evening offered to foot the bill of the PCB cleanup at Malibu High School. She spoke during an evening rally in Malibu’s Civic Center.
“If money is an issue, Rande, my husband, and I have decided that we would happily pay for proper and thorough testing of all pre-1979 classrooms,” Crawford said to the crowd gathered outside of the Malibu Library.
“This is if they will let us. I don’t know how they could possibly say no,” Crawford added.
Crawford was speaking to an enthusiastic crowd of hundreds of MHS students, parents, Malibu citizens and celebrities, who were rallying in support of Malibu Unites, a nonprofit dedicated to proper disposal of PCBs at Malibu High School and Middle School.
PCB concerns arose in October 2013 when several Malibu High School teachers expressed fear that the diagnosis of three teachers with thyroid cancer could be related to contaminants on campus. PCBs were a common building material in the mid-20th century that have later been proven to cause health problems in those exposed to them.
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District board member Oscar de la Torre came to voice his support for Malibu Unites, clarifying that he was not speaking as a member of the school board.
He called for mobile classrooms at the high school to ensure students and faculty would not be in danger, “even if I’m the only one calling for it.”
<>
COMMENTS: Arcane discussion of EPA regulations includes poster who states, "I helped write them."
mamielebu posted at 10:32 am on Wed, Aug 13, 2014.
Posts: 74
Whoa! Oscar de la Torre!!!!! Break from the pack and blow down the barriers to the truth!
AltaKocker posted at 10:26 am on Wed, Aug 13, 2014.
Posts: 56
Sorry thesilversurfer but 40 CFR 761.20 does apply to materials in place also. I helped write them.
Building materials (eg. caulk) in Malibu tested, by EPA certified lab, at the highest level ever recorded in a classroom in USA, over 7,000 times safe levels, according to EPA Regs.
AltaKocker posted at 12:24 am on Wed, Aug 13, 2014.
Posts: 56
Cindy Crawford paying for the PCB caulk testing is National News.
If the SMMUSD allows the EPA certified lab to test, almost all the rooms will be out of compliance and unhealthy according to 40 CFR 761.20.
If they don't allow the testing, they will be admitting that the testing they have done was all part of a fraud.
The SMMUSD is done for. Stick a fork in them.
Hopefully the Mayor and City Council will now join the parents and teachers in their quest for safe schools and safe classrooms.
http://www.malibutimes.com/news/article_43e08c82-21b1-11e4-aaf7-001a4bcf887a.html
Malibu Unites Organizes Protest at Malibu Library
Posted: Monday, August 11, 2014 5:00 pm
By Melissa Caskey
A community protest is scheduled to take place on Tuesday night in front of Malibu Library, as a group of parents, teachers and other advocates speak out against the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District's cleanup plan for Malibu High School.
The protest begins at 6 p.m. and is being led by local group Malibu Unites. The event will include appearances from "celebrity advocates," according to an announcement.
Malibu Unites has been ramping up pressure on the school district for several months as officials deal with an environmental scare at Malibu High, Middle School and Juan Cabrillo Elementary. The group remains angry at the district for its handling of the known presence of PCBs, a human carcinogen, in building materials at the campuses.
The Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station plans on sending deputies to the event, according to Lt. James Royal.
Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
Malibu Unites Organizes Protest at Malibu Library
Posted: Monday, August 11, 2014 5:00 pm
By Melissa Caskey
A community protest is scheduled to take place on Tuesday night in front of Malibu Library, as a group of parents, teachers and other advocates speak out against the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District's cleanup plan for Malibu High School.
The protest begins at 6 p.m. and is being led by local group Malibu Unites. The event will include appearances from "celebrity advocates," according to an announcement.
Malibu Unites has been ramping up pressure on the school district for several months as officials deal with an environmental scare at Malibu High, Middle School and Juan Cabrillo Elementary. The group remains angry at the district for its handling of the known presence of PCBs, a human carcinogen, in building materials at the campuses.
The Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station plans on sending deputies to the event, according to Lt. James Royal.
Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
MalibuJohn posted at 11:22 pm on Mon, Aug 11, 2014.
Posts: 8
Maybe SMMUSD can show up and meet with Parents and MU directly to address their concerns. The hundreds of emails sent to City Council and SMMUSD have basically been ignored. City Council waited 10 months to take any action then set a meeting for days after school is set to begin. Bad timing or just bad leadership?
Both.
http://www.mygtn.tv/story/26332486/vititoe-law-group-serves-notice-of-intent-to-sue-santa-monica-malibu-unified-school-distr
Vititoe Law Group Serves Notice of Intent to Sue Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District
Posted: Aug 20, 2014 7:25 PM PDT
Updated: Aug 20, 2014 11:25 PM PDT
Notice of Intent to Sue Served vs. District and EPA for Toxic Substances Control Act Violations (TSCA).
Westlake Village, United States – August 20, 2014 /MarketersMedia/ –
Westlake Village, California, August 19, 2014 – A notice of intent to sue was served today by Vititoe Law Group and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), a non-profit educational and advocacy organization, on behalf of Malibu Unites. The notice gives the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 60 days to remove toxic materials from Malibu Middle and High Schools and Juan Cabrillo Elementary School or face a federal lawsuit.
The notice addresses concerns of hazardous levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found inside classrooms and campus soils. This notice states the intent to file suit against the Santa-Monica Malibu Unified School District and the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) for failure to perform a non-discretionary duty to enforce TSCA to require the District to promptly fully identify the nature and extent of the PCBs and remove caulk in buildings and any surrounding areas containing known levels of PCBs which violate TSCA and the PCB Regulations.
“This notice is a demand that responsible officials follow the laws designed to protect our children and those that educate them,” said Jennifer deNicola, President of Malibu Unites and a Malibu parent, noting that a number of parents have opted to remove their children from these public schools. “We are frustrated that the districts – and even EPA itself — continue to disregard the law. Our children and teachers will continue to be exposed to PCBs until their sources are removed from our schools.”
Malibu Unites is a non-profit organization with supporters including parents, teachers, scientists, experts and community members at the Malibu High School and Juan Cabrillo Campuses.
ABOUT VITITOE LAW GROUP:
Vititoe Law Group is a nationally recognized consumer advocate law firm located in Westlake Village, CA. The firm is focused on helping those with personal injury, mass torts and environmental legal cases. Vititoe Law Group was founded by Jim Vititoe, who played a key role the water contamination case in Hinkley, California made famous by the Academy award winning film, Erin Brockovich.
Vititoe Law Group Serves Notice of Intent to Sue Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District
Posted: Aug 20, 2014 7:25 PM PDT
Updated: Aug 20, 2014 11:25 PM PDT
Notice of Intent to Sue Served vs. District and EPA for Toxic Substances Control Act Violations (TSCA).
Westlake Village, United States – August 20, 2014 /MarketersMedia/ –
Westlake Village, California, August 19, 2014 – A notice of intent to sue was served today by Vititoe Law Group and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), a non-profit educational and advocacy organization, on behalf of Malibu Unites. The notice gives the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 60 days to remove toxic materials from Malibu Middle and High Schools and Juan Cabrillo Elementary School or face a federal lawsuit.
The notice addresses concerns of hazardous levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found inside classrooms and campus soils. This notice states the intent to file suit against the Santa-Monica Malibu Unified School District and the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) for failure to perform a non-discretionary duty to enforce TSCA to require the District to promptly fully identify the nature and extent of the PCBs and remove caulk in buildings and any surrounding areas containing known levels of PCBs which violate TSCA and the PCB Regulations.
“This notice is a demand that responsible officials follow the laws designed to protect our children and those that educate them,” said Jennifer deNicola, President of Malibu Unites and a Malibu parent, noting that a number of parents have opted to remove their children from these public schools. “We are frustrated that the districts – and even EPA itself — continue to disregard the law. Our children and teachers will continue to be exposed to PCBs until their sources are removed from our schools.”
Malibu Unites is a non-profit organization with supporters including parents, teachers, scientists, experts and community members at the Malibu High School and Juan Cabrillo Campuses.
ABOUT VITITOE LAW GROUP:
Vititoe Law Group is a nationally recognized consumer advocate law firm located in Westlake Village, CA. The firm is focused on helping those with personal injury, mass torts and environmental legal cases. Vititoe Law Group was founded by Jim Vititoe, who played a key role the water contamination case in Hinkley, California made famous by the Academy award winning film, Erin Brockovich.
https://www.facebook.com/malibuunites
Malibu Unites
5 hours ago ·
This simple MHS and MMS campus map highlighting testing results of toxins and presence of illness (thyroid cancer, thyroid disease and nodules) paints a pretty convincing picture, wouldn't you say?
Malibu Unites
5 hours ago ·
This simple MHS and MMS campus map highlighting testing results of toxins and presence of illness (thyroid cancer, thyroid disease and nodules) paints a pretty convincing picture, wouldn't you say?
http://malibuunites.com
Joel Shufro, Executive Director of the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health
David O. Carpenter, MD 2013 IARC PCB carcinogenicity panel, Director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University of Albany
Director of Litigation at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, on the importance of community action
Joel Shufro, Executive Director of the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health
(I have) urged the EPA to acknowledge the emerging science on the health effects of PCB exposure, and apply the precautionary principle to protect school employees, teachers and children who work and learn in these buildings."
David O. Carpenter, MD 2013 IARC PCB carcinogenicity panel, Director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University of Albany
"What really needs to be done is that the caulk needs to be taken out of there so there are no PCBs in the air."
Director of Litigation at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, on the importance of community action
The government agencies and school board "will do nothing, to be blunt, that we don’t compel them to do…It is really the mobilization of all of you (parents, teachers and coworkers, friends, and neighbors) that will make the difference and make this happen.”
RELATED: http://www.peer.org/campaigns/public-health/toxic-schools/
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