Persistent Environmental Problems at the Louis Agassiz Elementary School

[Guest guest]

I cannot begin to communicate my outrage on this issue. People's health

just doesn't matter and it is so easy to hide behind " mold exposure

doesn't hurt you " and to hell with making serious attempts to make a building

safe for children, teachers, other school employees and the general public.

Mulvey son

City of Boston

In City Council

Order Regarding

Persistent Environmental Problems at the Louis Agassiz Elementary School

By

Councillors Chuck and Tobin

June 3, 2009

Whereas, the Louis Agassiz Elementary School began to experience

problems with air quality and mold during the 1980s; and

Whereas, concern over environmental problems at the Agassiz in the

nineties, led then Councilor Maura Hennigan to sponsor and lead passage of

an ordinance to have twice yearly inspections of air quality at each

school; and

Whereas, despite the investment of millions of dollars since the

mid nineties to remedy the

environmental problems, there continue to be problems of water

infiltration, apparently leading to a continuation of mold and air quality

problems;

and

Whereas, poor school environmental conditions can affect health

and learning and

Whereas, the Agassiz school student population has a high rate of

children with asthma making them more vulnerable to poor environmental

conditions

and

Whereas, teachers document respiratory illnesses that they believe are

caused by the environmental problems; and

Whereas, the school population has declined from a maximum enrollment of

900 to 500; and

Whereas, some believe that the significant decline in enrollment is

connected to student and parental concerns regarding environmental problems at

the Agassiz; and

Whereas, teachers complain about respiratory illnesses that they believe

are caused by the environmental problems. Therefore Be It

Ordered, that the appropriate committee of the City Council hold a

hearing and invite representatives of the Boston School Department to review

the

history of the environmental problems at the Louis Agassiz Elementary

School; to explain why the water infiltration problems continue to exist

despite

capital improvements over the last ten to fifteen years; to explain why

they believe that the present capital improvement plans will cure the problem

while past strategies have not succeeded; and to explain why scheduling

window replacement in an occupied building will not affect the air quality,

particularly while the building is occupied by students and staff who

already have air quality related health problems. And Be It Further,

Ordered, that the public, particularly, parents and students be invited

to testify.

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