Boston Teachers Union report shows safety issues in buildings, Walsh says schools ready to open

A new report examining Boston Public Schools buildings shows issues with ventilation, PPE and air quality, but Mayor Martin Walsh and BPS officials said schools are ready to open.

“NONE of our rooms have windows that open sufficiently to circulate air with a fan,” read a sample observation made by a Boston Teachers Union member highlighted in BTU’s report created jointly with the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health.

BTU and MassCOSH members did walkthroughs of school buildings to verify items on a jointly agreed upon checklist with the BPS regarding safety measures such as sanitation, personal protective equipment and ventilation.

High-needs students are set to begin returning to school in person on Oct. 1, and more students will filter in for hybrid learning in a phased approach.

“We cannot send our students and educators into buildings that aren’t properly ventilated and maintained, and we will continue to work with the district and city to ensure that they are,” said BTU president Jessica Tang.

The report outlines issues with windows and fans, ventilation and filtration, indoor air quality inspection data and cleaning protocols.

“We are very concerned about the condition of some of the BPS buildings in terms of sending children and educators back so soon,” said Jodi Sugerman-Brozan, executive director of MassCOSH.

The report shows 90% of school buildings did not have sufficient PPE for nurses and offices did not have adequate ventilation and filtration systems.

Teachers are pushing for more walkthroughs and the use of portable HEPA filtration systems to enhance air cleaning.

The report also calls for replacing hand dryers with paper towels to avoid air particle flow and testing CO2 levels in the buildings.

Department of Education guidance calls for at least one operable window in each classroom, and BPS officials have stated that windows will be kept open year round.

But the report states one window and fan are not sufficient and portable air cleaners are necessary.

“Many BPS classrooms and buildings are not yet prepared to be safely used by students and staff,” reads the report.

But in a Friday press conference, Mayor Walsh said, “I feel right now in Boston, that our buildings are in a good place to reopen school next week on a limited basis.”

He said, “I’m not going to make any decision that’s going to put any of our students or our teachers in harm’s way.”

In several recent press briefings and phone calls with the Herald, Superintendent Brenda Cassellius has also said the buildings are safe and ready to go.

In a statement, the BPS said, “We have accelerated the cleaning of our buildings, ensured supplies are in schools, and implemented new safety protocols.”

A BPS spokesman said 78 schools have been inspected for air quality and 10,000 filters have been replaced. He said summer cleaning has been completed in 123 of 125 buildings, and every staff member will be supplied with two reusable masks.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/304CgAL