LAUSD Policy on Chemical Use

Re “LAUSD to Start Over on Policy for Pesticides,” July 10.

It’s about time that the Los Angeles Unified School District addressed the issue of pesticide spraying in the schools. My children attend El Oro Way Elementary School in Granada Hills. They have been subjected toxic and / or nauseating fumes from the spraying of pesticides and weedkiller and, most recently, tarring the roofs during school hours. Several students had to come to the office because they felt ill.

I believe that this is a form of child abuse. Sure, these procedures need to be done, but why do it when students are in school and are supposed to be learning?

During the last few weeks of school this year, the district felt that it was necessary to tar the roofs. The fumes from the tar may not have been carcinogenic but they were certainly overwhelming. The installation of air-conditioning has not been completed, so the air could not be filtered. The fumes combined with the north San Fernando Valley heat was excruciating. Teachers had to move students outdoors. This disrupted lesson plans and infuriated teachers and parents. The district could have waited until school was out for the summer before completing the job. Sometimes I wonder what the district is thinking, or perhaps not thinking, as they sit in their air-conditioned offices.

El Oro Way was fortunate to receive a grant to develop a Habitats for Student Learning project. It will include an outdoor classroom, community nature center and several different habitats for plants and wildlife. The red tape and delays caused by the district in receiving our money is another story altogether. You would think that a project such as this would benefit the school district and basically make them look good. So far, the parents that put the project together have been treated with nonchalance and rudeness. We would like to eradicate rodents without the use of pesticides, but the delays caused by an plethora of paperwork may make that impossible if we want to get our project off the ground.

The LAUSD initiated the LEARN system so that parents can participate as equals in the governance of the schools. The LEARN system is working beautifully at El Oro Way, except when the school district rears its ugly head.

If the district wants this system to work, they have to learn to respect parents and encourage them to help improve our local schools. Projects such as the Habitats for Student Learning project were originated by parents and would never have come about without them. I believe in the LEARN system, so please, LAUSD, help us make it work.

REBECCA OLKOWSKI

Granada Hills

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I can’t believe the people from the school district lied about what happened at my school, Sherman Oaks, on March 3O at 7:30 a.m. My brother and I and a lot of kids were caught in the middle of the poison spray. It really tasted awful, and we had to walk through it. The man was very close to us.

Please tell the school district to stop lying and care more about kids being safe.

BRANDON BAKER

Age 10

VAN NUYS

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Re “Parents Seeking Halt to Pesticide Use at Schools,” June 6.

After reading about a LAUSD gardener spraying weeds at Sherman Oaks Elementary School and subsequent articles about the event, many questions come to mind.

Why would any parent allow his or her child to venture anywhere near a situation that could endanger the child, either someone spraying weeds or any type of construction or maintenance work?

Using a low-pressure, low-volume sprayer with the spray nozzle held six to 10 inches above the ground isn’t going to produce a toxic cloud, as alleged.

Sad but true, weeds in play areas present serious problems. Not only do they help to destroy the asphalt by enlarging the cracks, but more seriously they become hazards to the children who can easily slip, stumble and fall because of them.

I think the event at Sherman Oaks was not only exaggerated but was blown way out of proportion. By checking the label on liquid laundry detergent, these concerned parents would find it carries the same caution as Round-up Pro and Round-up Dry-Pak, and other household cleaners are even more dangerous.

RALPH L. EMERSON

Van Nuys