| As a life-long educator and future | | | | need to address the needs of all |
| superintendent, I have witnessed a | | | | children and with the fact that this is |
| multitude of physical buildings that | | | | becoming so common, we need to do what |
| house the American school child. Some | | | | is in the best interest for all children |
| of them are new buildings with beautiful | | | | and provide the proper type of lighting |
| architecture, while others have been | | | | that does not cause adverse reactions. |
| 100-year old small rural schools. | | | | I don't know about you, but when I walk |
| Public schools are a source of | | | | into a room, I notice how clean it is. |
| allergens, germs and environmental | | | | When I look at the walls and see stains |
| nuances that affect the quality of the | | | | and marks and then look at the floor and |
| child's daily life. This year, the main | | | | a layer of dirt on the baseboard, I |
| threat to many schools was the MRSA | | | | think dirt, plain and simple. You have |
| virus. With some schools closing down | | | | no idea how many substitute teaching |
| and others experiencing declining | | | | jobs I walked into and observed filth on |
| attendance due to this particular | | | | a regular basis. Children breathe the |
| disease alone, valuable attendance | | | | dust and overall, it sets a very bad |
| dollars were dwindled down. With the | | | | example. |
| school budget being one of the main | | | | So what are public schools suppose to do |
| concerns of many superintendents, when | | | | to deal with this health threat? With |
| the attendance is down, so is the | | | | No Child Left Behind and the English |
| budget. | | | | Language Learner demands, school |
| I worked in one 100-year old school | | | | districts are at a premium to make their |
| house. What a charming place that was! | | | | own budgets without the additional |
| I thought it was "Little House on the | | | | expenses of dealing with many of these |
| Prairie" as I romanticized the entire | | | | issues. Obvious dirty classrooms or |
| experience. But...what was lurking in | | | | facilities are the responsibility of the |
| the walls besides all the dust??? | | | | building administrator. The child has a |
| Mold...yes…you don't make it to 100 | | | | right to be educated in a safe |
| without getting a little water damage | | | | environment, so yes, we must focus on |
| here and there. Part of the school was | | | | the health of the school building to |
| condemned, yet, one would have to walk | | | | ensure the health of our children. |
| through the condemned area on a daily | | | | There are air purifiers that would |
| basis to retrieve daily mailbox messages | | | | possibly be the answer to some of the |
| and also, the teacher's workroom was | | | | problems. Buying the right air purifier |
| there. Fortunately, they did get a new | | | | for the school could be explored. Some |
| school; so that was taken care of....or | | | | air purifiers are built to kill germs, |
| was it? | | | | mold, viruses and bacteria, besides |
| New schools and the building supplies | | | | filtering dust, and pollens. Purchasing |
| that are used to build them emit mega | | | | several purification systems would only |
| doses of contaminants. Now we have | | | | pay for themselves in the long run with |
| "Sick Building Syndrome" which Wikipedia | | | | the money a school or business (even |
| describes ...."as flaws in the heating, | | | | hospitals) would save on illnesses or |
| ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) | | | | closures due to MRSA or other diseases. |
| systems. Other causes have been | | | | There are proven laboratory studies to |
| attributed to contaminants produced by | | | | back the germ killing claims with |
| outgassing of some types of building | | | | certain brands. |
| materials, volatile organic compounds, | | | | High stakes tests would likewise benefit |
| molds (molds again???) improper exhaust | | | | from a clean air test sitting. Who |
| ventilation of light industrial | | | | knows, test scores may rise because |
| chemicals used within, or fresh-air | | | | children are not sneezing from the |
| intake location / lack of adequate air | | | | allergens of dust mites or pollen in the |
| filtration (see Minimum Efficiency | | | | classroom and are able to concentrate |
| Reporting Value). " ( How are the | | | | fully on the exam. |
| children suppose to handle the | | | | Finding money in the budget will be the |
| contaminates at a new school? | | | | most difficult part of the equation. |
| Traditionally, the overhead lights are | | | | With that being said, I am realistic |
| enough to distract even normal school | | | | enough to know that this is not going to |
| children with the ongoing flickering, | | | | be a major concern for the school |
| buzzing and vibrations. Many autistic | | | | board's agenda. I think it may take |
| children are not able to be in | | | | parent groups to get together and |
| classrooms and moms may keep them home | | | | brainstorm what they can best do to |
| knowing that the buzzing sets off their | | | | raise money to purchase the air |
| child. This lighting may influence | | | | purifiers. |
| seizure and tic disorders. ADHD | | | | Good luck with your project of having a |
| children are distracted by the | | | | "SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOL". |
| frequencies, too. Our children, as a | | | | Diane Siers |
| whole, are becoming highly sensitized to | | | | School administrator and future |
| many conditions that perhaps fifty years | | | | superintendentd. |
| ago would not bother a child. Schools | | | | |