MPS lead hazards: State orders improved cleaning practices

MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers' office sent Milwaukee Public Schools a letter this week, which FOX6 News obtained, ordering the state's largest school district to improve how it cleans schools with high levels of lead.

State steps in

What they're saying:

The letter highlighted seven violations of noncompliance during lead clean-up projects at four MPS schools in February and March. The state said lead paint chips, debris and dust were left behind.

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"Looks like things were happening in an unsafe way when children were present," said Kristen Payne, an MPS parent and founding member of Lead Safe Schools MKE.

"Shock. Absolute shock," said Ron Jansen, MPS parent and Lead Safe Schools MKE member. "I am kind of mortified by the details in the letter."

Dig deeper:

One violation, the state said, was that MPS allowed students to return to classrooms where "a significant amount of paint chips and renovation debris were visible within arm’s length of a child's desk."

The letter also ordered MPS to "immediately implement" a plan of correction, including notifying the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Milwaukee Health Department of any lead renovation work, allowing DHS and MHD to access schools during that work and following lead-safe work practices.

"This is exactly why parents are asking for more transparency," Jansen said.

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MPS lead hazards; concerns over risks in private schools

There are new details tonight about school lead concerns, and parents say they're not just worried about Milwaukee Public Schools.

‘Lead Action Plan’

Local perspective:

On Friday, MPS said it submitted a "Lead Action Plan" to the Milwaukee Health Department. The plan outlines how the school district will tackle the lead crises at 85 schools.

"We are being told one thing, and two weeks, three weeks down the line we are hearing something completely different," said Jansen.

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What's next:

MPS has 10 days to comply with the state's order. The school district's plan to the health department still needs to be approved. Key points of the plan include:

• The oldest schools with the youngest learners will be prioritized for inspection/remediation.
• The district has hired 10 new staff members so far for lead stabilization and continues to work with contracted employees.
• Visual inspections are being performed and are tentatively expected to be completed in May for the oldest schools in the first phase.

MPS said the plan fulfills a March 21 deadline that the health department set in February.