Missouri elementary school to close after report finds radioactive contamination HEAD TOPICS
Missouri elementary school to close after report finds radioactive contamination
10/21/2022 11:16:00 AM A Missouri elementary school located near a contaminated creek will close after a private study found high levels of radioactive waste inside
Source ABC News
A Missouri elementary school is now closed after a private study found high levels of radioactive waste inside the building and its playground area. A Missouri elementary school located near a contaminated creek will close after a private study found high levels of radioactive waste inside The Corps has not corroborated the findings of the private report.. "That report isn't consistent with FUSRAP's accepted evaluation techniques and must be thoroughly vetted to ensure accuracy.""It should go without saying that hazardous, radioactive contamination has no place in schools, or anywhere near schools, or anywhere near any place where children are. And it should also go without saying the federal government must be honest and transparent about the facts," Hawley wrote in a Read more:
ABC News » Corps to conduct further testing at contaminated school 'Unacceptable levels' of radioactive contamination at St. Louis elementary school, study finds Missouri school where radioactive waste was found will switch to virtual learning Anchorage school closure recommendations goes beyond saving money, CFO says Into America
Into America is a show about being Black in America. These stories explore what it means to hold truth to power and this country to its promises. Told by people who have the most at stake. Read more >> Corps to conduct further testing at contaminated schoolThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will conduct new testing at a Missouri grade school to learn more about the level of radioactive contamination in the school and on its playground, U.S. Rep. Cori Bush said. They should shut this school down immediately. Then they can take months to test how high the radiation is. Classes can continue in another safe building. Of course the article has to bring race into it. Never mind that poor white people were affected too. 'Unacceptable levels' of radioactive contamination at St. Louis elementary school, study findsRadioactive contamination detected at Jana Elementary School's playground measured 22 times higher than normal, according to a study commissioned for a class-action lawsuit. 😮😮😮 As they should be! This is unacceptable and need resolving NOW! Missouri school where radioactive waste was found will switch to virtual learningA study released by a chemical company found nuclear material in several places inside the elementary school. An Army Corps of Engineers official questioned the report saying the agency found no contamination at the school or areas nearby. Anchorage school closure recommendations goes beyond saving money, CFO saysA series of town hall meetings are planned for November where staff, students and community members from each school will have an opportunity to ask questions and give input on the recommendations. Wow Opinion Why Did the Army Wait Nearly 4 Years to Tell This School About Radioactive Contamination?'The Army first knew about a radioactive cancer-causing substance right next to the school in 2018 but didn't tell the school district superintendent until 2022.' MORE: Radioactive waste found at Missouri elementary school: Report finds Testing of dust and soil samples indicated high levels of radioactive lead in the school, including the library, and playground, according to the report.Worried parents crowded into a school board meeting Tuesday night, when the cleanup was announced.The study, conducted by the Boston Chemical Data Corp, also found"unacceptable levels" in the school's kitchen, gym and ventilation systems.Email article FILE-Image of an empty classroom at an elementary school. The levels in the kindergarten play area were "22 times the expected background," according to the report. "The most outstanding result of August 2022 testing at the Jana School was that levels of the radioactive isotope lead-210 found on school grounds were entirely unacceptable," the report stated. 28. The Corps has not corroborated the findings of the private report. Strickland spoke at a school board meeting Tuesday night, where she said she first hear about the contamination from the news. In a statement Tuesday, the Corps' Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program for the St. A district spokeswoman declined comment. Louis District said the school property has contamination that is "isolated" to the creek bank, and that sample locations in the floodplain between the bank and playground area "aren't contaminated.S. " "The team will evaluate the report that Boston Chemical Data Corp. Louis got into the waterway near Lambert Airport, where the waste was stored. "There's a lot of things you can protect your kids from, but that felt like something I had no control. compiled on Jana Elementary School and the methods used to create these results," it said in a . "That report isn't consistent with FUSRAP's accepted evaluation techniques and must be thoroughly vetted to ensure accuracy. ADVERTISEMENT The site near the airport has largely been cleaned up but remediation of the creek itself won’t be finished for another 16 years, Corps officials said." Calls for cleanup, answers Missouri Sen.S. Josh Hawley has called on the Corps to review the findings of the independent report, conduct further testing on the school grounds and publicly report their findings.S. It's unclear when Jana Elementary would reopen. "It should go without saying that hazardous, radioactive contamination has no place in schools, or anywhere near schools, or anywhere near any place where children are. And it should also go without saying the federal government must be honest and transparent about the facts," Hawley wrote in a to Corps Lt. Josh Hawley, a Republican, wrote to President Joe Biden on Wednesday, asking that he declare a federal emergency to expedite remediation. Thousands of barrels dating back to the 1940s containing radioactive waste from uranium processing for the nation's atomic bombs were improperly stored. Gen. Scott Spellmon on Tuesday. Bush agreed that the federal government should bear the cost of making things right. The senator has also President Joe Biden to declare a federal emergency and authorize "immediate relief" for all impacted families and to expedite the cleanup. But in a letter to the superintendent, it said there is no"immediate risk to human health. He called the Boston Chemical report "incomplete and not consistent with the approved processes required to do an evaluation at one of our sites. Missouri Rep. “These agencies are responsible for the waste. Cori Bush has also demanded an "urgent response" to the emergency. "The federal government is responsible for this waste, and we need answers from them on their plan to immediately begin cleanup of Jana Elementary and the surrounding areas so our kids' health and education is not further disrupted by the presence of toxic chemicals," she said in a statement earlier this week. No excuses. "I believe sunshine is an excellent disinfectant, and so I am willing to disinfect everywhere we got to go by pulling every rug out and shaking it," Bernaugh said. "Inaction is not an option. The safety of our children and our communities must come first. District spokesperson Jordyn Elston said she didn't have information on the remainder of the week. " The Missouri Coalition for the Environment has called on the school district to "act swiftly to secure a comprehensive cleanup of all radioactive bomb waste at the school." Trending News." "In the interim, they must provide parents with options to continue students' education with minimal disruption," the group . "We are approaching 80 years since this nuclear bomb waste has been allowed to plague our neighborhoods." What's next for frustrated, worried families Some 400 students attend Jana Elementary. Amid the remediation, the school will transition to virtual learning starting on Monday, with plans to redistrict students into other schools by Nov. But just communicate with us. 28 "if feasible," the school district said. Two pre-K classrooms will be transferred to another elementary school to continue in-person learning. "We recognize that you are being faced with a situation not created by anyone in this District, over which you have no control, and that this is causing a disruption to our students' education and school climate. For that we sincerely apologize," the school district said in a statement to families. "Please know that Hazelwood School District will work hand-in-hand with you to provide the support that is needed as we transition through these very difficult times. The Environmental Protection Agency designated the creek as a Superfund site in 1989. " "We don't blame you all, but we want to hear what's going on because these are our babies," said Patrice Strickland, who returns to her seat after speaking out during the public portion of a Hazelwood School Board meeting addressing a report that elevated levels of radioactive waste found at Jana Elementary School, on Oct. 18, 2022, at the Hazelwood School District Learning Center in Florissant, Mo. Strickland has two children who have been attending school virtually since August. Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP Families are now scrambling to figure out next steps. The Boston Chemical study cited levels of radioactive isotope lead-210 that were 22 times the expected level on the kindergarten playground. During a packed meeting with the Hazelwood School Board on Tuesday, parents expressed frustration with the district. "Just communicate with us," said Patrice Strickland, who said she has two children who have been attending school virtually since August after learning about the contamination. "We don't blame you all, but we want to hear what's going on because these are our babies. "Help us to make the right decisions for us, and we can't make the right decisions if we don't know what is going on," she continued. Former students and families of students who now attend the school also expressed concerns for their health during the meeting." The school — which sits in a subdivision surrounded by homes — opened in the 1970s and has educated thousands of children, said Christen Commuso of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment. Kimberly Anderson told the board she had bloodwork done for her three grandchildren who attend the school to test their lead levels. "This can cause long-term effects with children," she said. Others want to find a way to keep the community intact amid redistricting plans. "Our kids should not be strung out through the district unless there was absolutely nothing suitable," Jana Elementary PTA president Ashley Bernaugh said. "You cannot tear our community apart to punish us for something that our kids have no burden for. Bernaugh is president of Jana Elementary School's parent-teacher association. " Top Stories .