House passes Hastings amendment to protect students from mold in schools

[Guest guest]

House passes Hastings amendment to protect students from mold in schools

by Goldenberg

Westside Gazette

Originally posted 6/11/2008

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. House of Representatives recently overwhelmingly

passed an amendment to H.R. 3021, the 21st Century Green High-Performing

Public School Facilities Act authored by U.S. Representative Alcee L. Hastings

(D-Miramar) which will protect students in Florida and throughout the nation

from the dangers of mold and mildew in schools.

“When your learning environment is the source of your illness, you can’t

even begin to think about academics,†remarked Representative Hastings. “

Clearly, our students should not have to sacrifice their health and well-being

to

receive an education. Years of disinvestment in our educational system have

led to unmanageable school sizes and patchwork facilities which disregard the

health implications for students. Today, we will fix that oversight.â€

Considerable research has shown that exposure to mold and mildew, as well as

other contaminants that compromise indoor air quality, can cause adverse

health conditions which interrupt the learning process among students. These

poor air quality conditions can be particularly pronounced in portable school

units often found at overflowing schools throughout Florida and the nation. The

Hastings Amendment to H.R. 3021 al-lows federal funds to be used for mold

and mildew abatement in schools.

The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act directs

the Secretary of Education to make grants and low-interest loans to local

educational agencies for the modernization and repair of public school

facilities, encourages the building of “green schools,†and establishes

funding for

the repair of schools damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The Hastings Amendment was rolled into the Manager’s Amendment offered by

the Chairman of the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education

Subcommittee, Representative Dale Kildee (D-Mich.). H.R. 3021 is expected to

pass

the House later week and will then await consideration by the Senate.

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[Guest guest]

This is always the problem when you " dilute " a bill or a proposal for

legislation that " dilutes " the real issue. " Green " is politically

correct. Mold in Schools is still considered a joke. I walked that

walk. Integrating " green " techniques to acquire the " LEED "

certification for energy efficiency, is one thing but many of the

products, look " vulnerable " to me.

When you " dilute " your issue or your " cause " and latch onto others who

have another agenda, you lose focus. And, I worry that people worried

about Indoor Air Quality or Lack thereof, like many of us, will see

" mold " and " biologicals " (as in " warfare " or in a contaminated work or

living space) which cause harm to humans, and who ally themselves with

others on another " course " who have another " agenda " besides human

health, are going to find themselves weakened in the process.

Until the standards for diagnosis are equal, across the board, with

the " agrarian " context, which I something I have written about for

eight years, now, we will have weak " medicals " and few doctors to

treat us. Believe me, few docs are losing sleep if we die, case in

point, that whistleblower who died this past week.

So, stay " tight " and on track. People in the " green movement " often

have " products " to sell and will " sell us all " right down the river.

>

>

>

> In a message dated 12/31/2008 9:16:41 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,

MLMJ75

> writes:

>

> This passed yet mold doesn't harm health?

>

> 2009 if the year of " enough is enough. "

>

> Mulvey son

>

> Article from IEQ Review

>

(_http://www.imakenews.com/pureaircontrols/e_article001302795.cfm?x=bdTST8P,bsr9\

CFP_

(http:/

>

/www.imakenews.com/pureaircontrols/e_article001302795.cfm?x=bdTST8P,bsr9CFP)

)

> November 4, 2008

> House Passes Hastings Amendment to Protect Students from Mold in

Schools

> by alceehastings.house.gov

>

> WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. House of Representatives tonight

overwhelmingly

> passed an amendment to H.R. 3021, the 21st Century Green

[Guest guest]

The important thing to look for in " green " is what happens to

construction products, should they become wet. I recently saw a

program where the contractor used some pretty cabinets, which were

partially construction with a wheat by-product, all purchased to be

used in a building that was looking for LEED certification. We all

know what happens to wet wheat. It is like wet pressed particle board.

It gets black with mold when wet quickly.

I would rather have stainless steel, which is expensive but wipes down

clean or some glass product than some highly touted " green " material

which has not been tested under " water " or roof leak conditions and

that is what the contractor was pointing out. He was worried about

whether the cabinets would " disintegrate " if there was a roof flood.

He actually used those words.

Just because it looks new, shiny and nice - does not make it better or

" healthier " and teachers have NO control over what products are

integrated into their building. It is the worst case scenario, like

illness from mold, that is the shocker to look at things we never had

to look at before. Or looking at a tube of toothpaste and having to

wonder if " antifreeze " is what is on your toothbrush.

Caution with all this new stuff, in my view, is critical. And, trust,

in these new " green " products and technology, needs to be earned.

>

>

>

> In a message dated 12/31/2008 9:16:41 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,

MLMJ75

> writes:

>

> This passed yet mold doesn't harm health?

>

> 2009 if the year of " enough is enough. "

>