Harlem teacher - "We are teaching in a toxic environment"

Here's an article that came out today by a teacher at an East Harlem elementary school:

"Health hazard in a Harlem school"

This school's caulk was found to have PCBs of 5,300 ppm, more than 100 times the acceptable limit, yet DOE seems to be downplaying the seriousness of the matter. Here's an excerpt:

The Daily News article cites studies indicating that exposure to PCBs can "inhibit the growth of brain cells" in children and has been linked to "anti-social behavior, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-type symptoms."

Probably not a good idea to leave the stuff lying around in an elementary school, right?

Well, not according to the NYC Department of Education (DOE). After learning about the Daily News findings, the DOE conducted its own investigation and found that the PCBs had not become airborne (except in one of the schools named in the report--not ours).

The DOE maintains that the caulk isn't hazardous as long as it's left "undisturbed." However, according to a fact sheet from our union, the United Federation of Teachers, on government environmental regulations, "Materials containing 50 parts per million (ppm) or more of PCBs must be disposed of as a hazardous material." The Daily News reported that our school's caulk has PCBs of 5,300 ppm--more than 100 times the acceptable limit.