MPS lead exposure, school closures considered to address issues
MPS lead exposure, school closures considered
The Milwaukee Health Department is considering shutting down some schools in an effort to protect students from potentially dangerous lead exposure.
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Health Department is considering shutting down some schools in an effort to protect students from potentially dangerous lead exposure.
What they're saying:
Work to cover up lead paint dangers takes time. It currently takes place at night when students are out of the buildings. To speed up that process, the city is considering ordering problem schools to close or voluntarily asking Milwaukee Public Schools to do so.
"Instead of taking this time to clean and check, and clean and check, it’s just close the school – get the deep clean done, do the remediation, so we're firming up our recommendations there," said Tyler Weber of the Milwaukee Health Department. "We have seen good progress, but we’re nervous this isn’t moving fast enough, and we’re moving to a recommendation that instead of waiting a week or two, because you can only do the work during after hours, when the students aren’t in."
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The backstory:
At Golda Meir High School's lower campus, tests showed lead levels in some places were 14 times higher than federal safety standards. Last week, new testing showed most of the problems were fixed. Ten of the 12 testing wipes met clearance levels, but two spots with porous flooring needed additional attention. The health department expects to do more tests on Saturday before it gives the all-clear that the school has met safety standards.
"The initial work at Golda Meir lower campus was really good," said Mike Totoraitis, Milwaukee health commissioner.
MHD also found high lead levels at Kagel School on the city's south side. It’s waiting for tests from Maryland Avenue Montessori School. And this weekend, the department will conduct a detailed lead risk inspection of Trowbridge School.
Dig deeper:
It's also expensive to correct. The Milwaukee Health Department said lab tests alone for each school are $10,000.
"When we talk about the scale and scope and urgency of this, we’re going to have to call on other labs to help, if we go to do this at every school," Weber said. "There’s not enough weeks in the year for our lab to handle the schools we’d need to look at."
Most MPS school buildings were built before 1978, at a time when lead paint was allowed. Michael Harris, the district's interim chief of school administration, said, each year, the district does a walk-through of each building. Ald. Peter Burgelis questioned the process during a Common Council committee hearing.
Burgelis: "Were those rooms that we’ve seen on TV with the peeling paint, where those part of a maintenance plan that was just forgotten, skipped, overlooked? Or were those rooms looked at and monitored during that maintenance walk-through?"
Harris: "I don’t have that information in front of me."
Burgelis: "There were visual cues that there was peeling paint, that weren’t addressed by MPS, and now we have sick children."
Harris: "Staffing is definitely an issue. Budget cuts, budget restraints at a time when, back in the day, we maybe had 40 painters in the school district. Now we have five."
What's next:
The health department is working to set up testing clinics for the kids in the impacted schools, to be done with parental consent.
Weber: "We haven’t tested every kid in those classrooms yet."
Burgelis: "So, there’s a potential there’s a lot more high levels?"
Weber: "Yes, and that is a deep concern."
The health commissioner says MPS has until March 21 to come up with a plan for how to deal with the remaining schools built before 1978.
In a news conference after the committee hearing, Harris said the priority will be testing schools and classrooms that have children up to grade three, as well as special education students.
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How to limit exposure
What you can do:
Health officials said wet dusting and mopping at home at least twice a week can minimize the risk of lead exposure. Children should wash their hands with soap and water, especially before meals and after play.
If you have or suspect you may have lead pipes, run faucets on cold for three minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. Residents should also cover or block lead hazards, like chipping paint, and keep children away from those areas.
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Diets rich in iron, calcium and vitamin C can help reduce lead absorption, the health department said.
For questions related to lead exposure, MPS families can contact Health Services Manager Tashanda Edelen at 414-438-3539.
For additional resources and educational materials, as well as general information on how to keep your child and home lead-safe, visit the Milwaukee Health Department's website, or call the MHD Lead Program at 414-286-2165.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Milwaukee Health Department and Milwaukee Public Schools.