The Toxic Schoolhouse

The Toxic Schoolhouse is a collection of articles on chemical hazards endangering students, teachers, and staff in the education system of the United States and Canada. Some of the articles were originally published in a special issue of New Solutions: A Journal of Occupational and Environmental Policy, but all have been updated and several new articles have been added. The book is organized in three sections. The first describes problems ranging from the failures of coordination, monitoring, and siting of school buildings to the hazards of exposure to toxic substances, including lead and PCBs. The second section captures the voices of activists seeking change and describes community and union organizing efforts to improve school conditions. The third section covers policy "solutions." The authors include academics, union staff and rank-and-file activists, parent organization leaders, and public health professionals.

Scammell, Madeleine Kangsen; Levenstein, Charles

Preface Acknowledgments Introduction PART I ~ The Problem Chapter 1. Who's in Charge of Children's Environmental Health at School? Jerome Paulson and Claire Barnett Chapter 2. Who's Sick at School: Linking Poor School Conditions and Health Disparities for Boston's Children Tolle Graham, Jean Zotter, and Marlene Camacho June 2012 Update on Who's Sick at School Report Tolle Graham, Jean Zotter, and Marlene Camacho Chapter 3. Failing Our Children: Lead in U.S. School Drinking Water Yanna Lambrinidou, Simoni Triantafyllidou, and Marc Edwards Chapter 4. PCBs in School-Persistent Chemicals, Persistent Problems Robert F. Herrick Update on PCBs in School Robert F. Herrick Chapter 5. Healthy School Siting and Planning Policies: Linking Public Health, Education, and the Environment Alison K. Cohen PART II ~ Organizing for Change Chapter 6. "Serving Two Masters"-An Interview with School Teacher and Union Organizer Debra Askwith Madeleine Kangsen Scammell and Ema Rodrigues Chapter 7. "We Can't Give Up, It's Too Important"-Health and Safety Stories from Canadian and U.S. Schools Dorothy Wigmore Chapter 8. New Jersey's Union-Centered Healthy Schools Work Eileen Senn Chapter 9. Negotiating Indoor Air-Case Report on Negotiation of Teachers' Union, School Board on Air Contaminants Sarah Gibson and Charles Levenstein Chapter 10. School Custodians and Green Cleaners:Labor-Environment Coalitions and Toxics Reduction Laura Senier, Brian Mayer, Phil Brown, and Rachel Morello-Frosch PART III ~ Advances in Policy Chapter 11. Integrated Pest Management Policies in America's Schools: Is Federal Legislation Needed? Andrea Kidd Taylor, Kyle Esdaille, and Jennifer Ames Chapter 12. Reducing Asthma Triggers in Schools: Recommendations for Effective Policies, Regulations, and Legislation Joan N. Parker Chapter 13. Building the New Schoolhouse: The Massachusetts School Building Authority Jennifer Ames and Charles Levenstein Contributors Index