Parents fed up with asbestos in Philadelphia schools
PHILADELPHIA - Parents are calling for action when it comes to asbestos in Philadelphia schools.
It’s been three weeks since parents of Peirce Elementary in North Philadelphia found out that the school gym contained damaged asbestos.
"We are pretty much fed up as parents. We are tired, " parent Antione Little told FOX 29.
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It's a problem that parents and teachers say the district waited too long to address.
"Going to school you can just feel it," substitute teacher David Hartung said. "I would teach gym classes where children would be coughing at the end of class."
The district announced the details of their “Healthy Schools” initiative that aims to take on asbestos in schools as well as other environmental concerns.
School district officials hope their plans will “accelerate the improvement of environmental conditions in District schools by focusing on three critical areas.”
Those three areas include:
- Better identifying concerns, increasing responsiveness and addressing known asbestos conditions in schools.
- More proactively and effectively managing environmental safety and capital projects.
- Better communicating with, educating, and empowering staff and community members about environmental safety in schools.
District officials say they have already begun to take action in several key areas.