FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
BUSH URGED TO DIRECT AGENCIES ON SCHOOL HAZARDS
Healthy Schools Network, Newslice

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(Albany, NY and Kent, OH, January 4)

With the December 23, 2004 publication of a major new paper on how school environments may affect occupant learning and health in the Journal of School Health, the Healthy Schools Network and the American School Health Association are calling upon President Bush to direct the federal agencies to work together and with the states to improve school environments and children's health.

"Every day we hear about chemical spills in schools, about polluted indoor air and environmental quality (IEQ), and about children unable to think or learn in poor facilities. Shouldn't children have healthy workplaces," asked Claire Barnett, Executive Director, Healthy Schools Network that commissioned the underlying research report. The article "Science-based Recommendations to Prevent or Reduce Potential Exposures to Biological, Chemical and Physical Agents in Schools" by Derek G. Shendell, et al., reveals the history of peer-reviewed sciences on potential exposures and children's health and learning.

David Lohrmann, PhD, President, American School Health Association, added, "We devoted our recent national conference to examining the structural and environmental problems of our nation's schools and their profound negative impact on both students' health and ability to learn. As a nation, we need to make prevention of these problems a real priority."

Pediatrician Ruth A. Etzel, MD, of the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services commented, "This is really back to basics in public health: children should have a healthy and clean environment in which to learn and grow, and that includes the environment of schools and child care facilities." Etzel is the former Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Environmental Health and the founding editor of its popular book "Pediatric Environmental Health".

There are over 53 million students in 120,000 schools nationwide, and over six million personnel. US EPA has estimated half of American schools may have polluted indoor air. Children are more vulnerable to environmental hazards than adults, a priority focus of a federal executive order under both Presidents Bush and Clinton, and at US EPA and other agencies. The Bush Administration has sought major education reforms through selective implementation and funding for the No Child Left Behind Act. Not implemented are mandates on the education department to make recommendations to Congress on how to address the effects of poor learning environments on children and to create a new partnership program with the states to encourage "healthy and high performance" school design.

Stephen Boese, New York State Director of the Healthy Schools Network noted, "Designing and maintaining healthier and high performance schools for children is an idea whose time has come-- locally, in our state and others, and federally. There is a lot of expertise in the federal agencies, but little of it is easily accessible to the districts serving the highest risk, neediest children who will benefit the most."

Healthy Schools Network, Inc. (www.healthyschools.org) is a national environmental health not for profit information, research, and advocacy organization; its national Clearinghouse has assisted parents, schools, and communities with school environmental issues in nearly every state. Founded in 1995, it supports state and federal policy reforms and funds to address school environments. Barnett has chaired two US EPA federal advisory groups on schools, testified before the US Senate, and coordinates the national Coalition for Healthier Schools.

The American School Health Association (www.ashaweb.org), publisher of the Journal of School Health, unites the many professionals working in schools who are committed to safeguarding the health of school-aged children. Founded in 1927, the mission of the Association is to protect and promote the health of children and youth by supporting coordinated school health programs as a foundation for school success.