Problems in Schools Statewide

A potentially cancer-causing material could exist in wall insulation, ceiling plaster or floor tiles in more than 2,000 Pennsylvania schools.

Across the state, with limited money for renovations and little state or federal oversight, asbestos remains a hidden danger.

Governor Tom Wolf today presented a series of proposed 2020-21 budget items totaling more than $1.1 billion to support reducing the risks to Pennsylvanians of lead and asbestos, and remediating existing toxins in schools, day care centers, homes, and public water systems.

“Decades ago, well-intentioned Pennsylvanians constructed our homes, schools, waterways and other structures out of asbestos and lead because they were thought to be harmless, even superior materials,” Gov. Wolf said. “Now we know the serious harm both can cause. To build a better Pennsylvania, we first need to fix our foundation, which is why the five lead and asbestos removal initiatives I’m outlining today are so important.”

Wolf must deliver a budget proposal to the Legislature on Feb. 4, and lawmakers who are pressing for state aid to address what they call a massive and growing problem have asked the Democratic governor to include money in the spending package.

Public health experts all agree that there’s no such thing as a safe level of lead exposure for children.

But new state data show that thousands of children across Pennsylvania have likely been exposed to the toxic metal in their school drinking water. 

It’s possible school administrators and board members had that information years ago but did nothing about it. The state attorney general is now investigating.

“We need to know what the circumstance is,” Pennsylvania State Sen. Vincent Hughes said. “We need to not run away from the problem, we need to run towards the problem and understand what it is we have to deal with.”

The Erie School District temporarily shut off the water at its Emerson-Gridley building on Wednesday due to high lead levels and is making arrangements to bring in bottled water for staff and students to drink.

Emergency crews were called to the school around 8:30 p.m. for reports of several people suddenly feeling ill.

Blamed for 20,000 deaths per year, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for nonsmokers in the United States.

Levels in Pennsylvania are considered especially high nationally. An estimated 40 percent of homes in the state have radon levels above the Environmental Protection Agency’s action guideline of 4 picocuries per liter of air.

But Superintendent Nancy Hines said it’s business as usual at the high school and the district is moving forward with a plan to keep the building comfortably warm until an insurance claims adjuster determines what went wrong.

“It’s a way to ensure the program doesn’t lose money, and it gives other districts a way to provide alternative education to their students without going to private companies,” Superintendent Charles Prijatelj said.

The school board this week approved Prijatelj’s proposal to charge outside districts tuition to send their students to the school.

East Pennsboro Elementary School, East Pennsboro High School, and West Creek Hills Elementary School all tested for high levels of mold spores.

According to reports, on Aug. 15 of last year, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) notified Butler Area School District administrators of unacceptable lead levels above 15 parts per billion (ppb) and as high as 55 parts per billion in the well water supplied to Summit Township Elementary School.

The incident occurred July 14 when three members of the Central Bucks Family YMCA were on the pool deck, according to district officials. No one was hurt, but several people “were very startled,” said David Baugh, Centennial’s superintendent.