Time to Show and Tell

By Arnold W. Stovell • Urban Times News

When the Jersey City Board of Education was revealed as not being true to their word, parents and community representatives spoke out. Superintendent Dr. Charles Epps offered personal assurances that communication regarding lead testing and results would be made available to parents in a timely fashion. Parents trusted them again. The Board is having difficulties keeping its promise again.

In a letter dated June 25th, Parents and Communities United for Education (PCUE) drafted a letter recapping the Board's agreements from a June 19th meeting:

• Each school would send their test results to student homes by mail. Tests would not be completed until July 11th, but since administrators work until July 15th they would send the test results.
• All relevant information regarding water testing would be translated before being sent to Spanish-speaking parents.
• Maurice Howell, Special Assistant/Maintenance Plant Management is the point person for parents to call with concerns.
• He (Dr. Epps) would put together the information on health hazards related to lead; how and where one could get assistance and testing if such is the need.

To date the response has been less than stellar:

• Some homes have received test results and some have not, even though tests were completed by July 11th as planned.
• No Spanish speaking families of students have complained thus far. What little information is provided has been translated also.
• Mr. Howell is said to be a patient point person.
• The information has not been received as of yet.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has taken and tested over 2,500 samples of water fountains, and sinks in the Jersey City school system. According to state and federal guidelines, water with lead levels above 20 parts per billion is considered unsafe. The higher the levels are the more dangerous the water is. Out of 45 school buildings sampled, the results for only 24 have been released. The process involves two draws - a check and a double check. Samples of water are taken after the source (sink or fountain) ahs been off for at least eight hours. Samples are taken again after the source has been allowed to run for a few minutes.

More than half of these 24 results, show high levels of lead in their first draw, while exactly half show contaminants present with a second draw (when water is running). Most of this information has not been communicated to the parents as promised. Members of PCUE often visit schools that have a summer school program. There they distribute information as they are able to get it, providing translation, and even explanations to residents who are unsure of how the numbers may affect their children.

"I got a call the other day from a parent whose child is taking summer calsses at School #14. She said the students were told they could not use the fountains, and that they had to bring bottled water into school. What is that? The school should provide bottled water to the children while they are there, especially if they suspect the water is contaminated with lead."

"Some principals have gotten the information out, but they are getting it out slowly," says Louella Mcfadden, PCUE spokesperson. "We've had parents comment on receiving some materials but not all parents and not often enough. We've got to keep the pressure on the Board of Education. Not only do they have to do the testing and put out the results, but they have to execute a plan via EPA, to clean up all these contaminated water sources."

According to test results, School #14 fared better than most among the tested. They had only two sources with high levels of lead in the first draw and none with high levels after the second draw.

As of yet, neither the EPA nor Jersey City Board of Education has set a timeline for remediation.

For a complete list of testing, and more information on what is going on with the Board, go to the website www.pcueforhealthyschools.blogspot.com.