From January 16, 2002
CA Safe Schools Establishes Website To Help Others Around Country
California Safe Schools, having successfully worked with Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to implement a least-toxic school pest management policy that has become a model for the nation, is sharing its secret for success on the new website: www.calisafe.org.
"Our policy has become a role model for school districts and communities nationwide," said Robina Suwol, parent of LAUSD students, founding member of CSS. "Our new website will help others understand the policy, both within our district and across our nation."
"The policy mandates the use of preventive measures and least toxic methods first in schools. Only when preventative measures fail does the district turn to pesticides on the approved list. Pesticides on the approved list cannot contain products known to cause cancer, neurological disruption, birth defects, genetic alteration, reproductive harm, immune system dysfunction, endocrine disruption, or acute poisoning, which stops the routine use of the most hazardous pesticides in our schools," said Sandra Schubert, Esq., CSS founding member, former IPM Co-Coordinator for the City of Santa Monica, now with Earth Justice in Washington, D.C. "We believe that this policy protects children's health and ultimately saves lives."
"The groundbreaking LAUSD Integrated Pest Management Policy protects teachers, students and staff from the needless exposure to toxic pesticides." said President Day Higuchi of United Teachers Los Angeles.
"Every parent knows that it is smart to keep children away from toxic chemicals," said Harvey Karp, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, UCLA School of Medicine, American Academy of Pediatrics. "That's why I salute the California Safe Schools Coalition. The coalition has helped the Los Angeles Unified School district to adopt the best solution in the country for getting rid of pests while protecting children."
California Safe Schools Coalition, of which Beyond Pesticides/NCAMP is a member, is a project of Community Partners. CSS is committed to ensuring that all students, teachers, staff and community members who live near these school sites are in a safe toxic-free environment. For more information, contact Robina Suwol, Executive Director, California Safe Schools Coalition, 818-785-5515, [email protected], www.calisafe.org.
For information on
other school districts around the country that have adopted IPM and/or
right-to-know school policies see the Children and Schools section of
the Beyond Pesticides website, www.beyondpesticides.org or contact Beyond
Pesticides.