$15.7M for emergency Philly school repairs to be announced by Hite, Wolf on Friday

Philly.com

June 29--Gov. Wolf, Mayor Kenney and Philadelphia Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. are expected to announce Friday that they are directing millions in new, emergency funds to help clean up toxins -- such as damaged lead paint and asbestos -- inside some of the district's most rundown schools.

"The more than $15 million investment that begins the cleanup of toxic conditions in Philadelphia schools is long overdue and it's a huge win for our children," State Senator Vincent Hughes (D., Phila.) said in a release Thursday night.

Ben Bowens, a spokesperson for Hughes, said the exact amount of the emergency repair fund was $15.7 million, and that the state would provide $7.6 million, with the remaining money coming from the district. The money will be put toward urgent repairs and critical capital improvements at nearly 60 schools across the district, Bowens said.

The location of the annoucement is significant: the officials will gather Friday morning at Roosevelt Elementary in East Germantown, among the city schools with a recent history of unhealthy conditions, including flaking lead paint in classrooms, damaged asbestos, mold and rodent droppings, an analysis of district records show.

And the announcement comes amid growing public outcry in the wake of an Inquirer and Daily News investigation, "Toxic City: Sick Schools," which examined how unchecked environmental hazards inside district schools put children and staff at risk for serious health problems.

Reporters interviewed 120 people, including teachers, parents, students and nurses, to detail conditions in schools. They also enlisted staffers at 19 dilapidated schools to collect wipe samples of surfaces to test for lead in dust, asbestos fibers and mold spores. In nine schools, the lab results revealed elevated numbers of asbestos fibers on floors in gyms, classrooms and hallways. There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos, which when airborne and inhaled can cause cancer.

In all, the newspaper's investigation tallied more than 9,000 environmental problems linked to filthy schools and unsafe conditions over recent years. That information culled from district data was posted online in School Checkup, a lookup tool created by the papers so families and others could search their local school.

District officials took issue with the newspapers' testing, calling the methods unscientific and unreliable. Nonetheless, the district has launched a clean-up effort inside seven schools where the newspapers' tests found 50,000 asbestos fibers per square centimeter or greater in settled dust.

Hite has said that he needs at least $7.5 million to repair deteriorating lead paint and plaster in some 40 schools where children are most at risk for lead exposure. Even in low doses, the heavy metal can cause learning disabilities and behavioral problems in children.

With the summer in full swing, Hite hopes to seize the opportunity to eliminate hazards in as many schools as possible before students return in late August. Earlier this month, the district asked contractors to bid on a paint and plaster stabilization effort at 20 to 40 schools. The bids are due July 3.

During a walkthrough at A.S. Jenks Elementary in South Philadelphia last week, Hite met with potential bidders. "This is a top priority for us," he told contractors. "This is a big deal for us. We have schools that need attention." Jenks is among the schools that the district has identified as in need of lead paint abatement.

Hughes said the new money is a good start but much more is needed.

"The governor and the school district have made this investment happen and they should be congratulated for their work, but we are not finished in finding even more resources to help our children," he said.

District officials have said that they need almost $5 billion over the next decade for school construction and major repairs, such as roof replacements and new central heating systems.

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