PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE EMBRACED BY 2ND LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN USA!

Created most stringent pesticide policy in nation for schools. Policy has become model for school districts and communities throughout the United States.

Parents Gain Right to Know About Toxic Exposures


"Every parent in the Los Angeles Unified School District has gained the right to know if their children are being exposed to pesticides.", said Robina Suwol, Executive Director of California Safe Schools
Coalition.

The right is part of a new policy adopted by the school district and introduced by California Safe Schools Coalition, an organization committed to ensuring that all students, teachers, staff and community members who live near these school sites are in a safe, toxic-free environment. The policy, titled Integrated Pest Management, pledged to implement least-toxic measures to control all pest management issues at the district's hundreds of schools. The policy has become a model for school districts and communities nationwide.

Because of the new policy, parents are given a list of pesticide products at the beginning of the school year that have been approved for use within the Los Angeles Unified School District sites. Parents who wish advance notification of each pesticide application at their child's school will receive notification by completing the "Right to Know" form and sending it to the school principal.

"As a parent, I am so grateful to California Safe Schools Coalition and (the Los Angeles Unified School District) for their hard work in finding the least toxic and yet effective methods for controlling pests and weeds in our schools; for including parents and staff in the decision making process; and for the right to know about potentially harmful applications of pesticides/herbicides near our kids," said Jenny Barsumian Brady, a parent representative for California Safe Schools.

Brandon Stirling Baker, Van Nuys High School Performing Arts Magnet student added, " Kids and teachers go to school to learn, not to get sick. I'm proud LA Unified was the first in the nation to include the "precautionary principle" in this low risk pest policy. I look forward to hearing about other schools and communities using the "precautionary principle".
It's alwats better to be safe than sorry".

For more information, visit
CALIFORNIA SAFE SCHOOLS
Robina Suwol, Executive Director
818-785-5515
Toluca Lake, California
http://www.calisafe.org
Toluca Lake, California 91610


http://WWW.CALISAFE.ORG