Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced a historic $75 million investment to make environmental repairs in public schools. The repairs include removing or repairing asbestos in schools, which has been a persistent problem in the United States.
The $75 million will be dispersed to 109 Pennsylvania school districts, career and technical education centers, and charter schools. Each recipient will receive a grant of at most $7.9 million. The objective is to create safer facilities for students, teachers, and other faculty by eliminating asbestos, lead, mold and other environmental hazards.
Gov. Shapiro and Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid M. Mumin announced the program earlier this month. In addition to the $75 million in grants, the 2023-2024 education budget provides up to $100 million for school facility improvements.
Rampant Issues of Asbestos in Schools
Asbestos is a natural mineral with two appealing characteristics: resistance to heat; and durability. These properties made asbestos a prized mineral during the 20th century for construction of buildings.
Until the 1980s, most schools in the United States were built with asbestos. The mineral insulated and protected electrical wiring, floor boards, roof tiles, siding and more.
Asbestos is a known carcinogen, which means it causes cancer. Exposure to asbestos is the only proven cause of mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer that forms in the lining of the lungs or abdominal cavity. Loose, sharp asbestos fibers can get trapped in these linings, which leads to cancer.
Unfortunately, asbestos in schools still persists today. Many school buildings are old and outdated due to budgetary restraints. A lot of schools have not been renovated since they were first built in the 20th century, when asbestos was prominent. This leads to a type of asbestos exposure that impacts students, teachers and other staff.
Asbestos in Pennsylvania Schools
In 2018, the Philadelphia Inquirer published a series of articles exposing asbestos in many Philadelphia public schools. Benjamin Franklin High School and Science Leadership Academy were the first schools to shut down. Many others followed.
From September 2019 to October 2023, more than a dozen Philadelphia schools closed due to asbestos. While many of the schools reopened after asbestos was repaired or removed, their closings uprooted students to different institutions and created havoc.
The school district also faced lawsuits for creating unsafe work and learning environments. One teacher even developed mesothelioma after working in Philadelphia schools for nearly 30 years.
A few years ago, the Philadelphia School District authorized $14 million to address environmental projects in schools. The projects include removing or repairing hazardous asbestos.
The Scranton School District in Pennsylvania also faced a crisis of asbestos in schools. In 2020, three former or then-current school officials were charged with felonies of reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of children. The charges were partially due to not fixing known issues of asbestos in schools.
In 2021, charges against two of the school officials were dropped. The charges against former Superintendent Alexis Kirijan were reduced to three misdemeanors.
How Can Schools Use the Grant Funding to Repair Asbestos?
The Pennsylvania school districts, career and technical education centers, and charter schools receiving grants can use the funding for several projects:
- Remediating asbestos contamination or mold contamination
- Improve water infrastructure
- Install treatment devices to reduce lead and other contaminants
“My Administration is committed to ensuring that Pennsylvania students have world-class school facilities that are safe and healthy so they can focus on learning and growing at school,” Governor Shapiro said in a press release published on the state of Pennsylvania website.
Fixing asbestos in schools could involve removal or repair. Asbestos is only dangerous if it’s loose and exposed. If removing asbestos is considered too risky – since the slightest touch could send sharp fibers into the air – repair workers can use sealants to contain asbestos.
To learn more about this topic, read Mesothelioma Guide’s page dedicated to asbestos in schools.
Sources & Author
- Shapiro Administration Visits Antietam School District in Berks County to Announce $75 Million in Environmental Repair Grants to 109 Pennsylvania Schools. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Retrieved from: https://www.pa.gov/en/governor/newsroom/2024-press-releases/shapiro-admin-visits-antietam-announce–75m-grants-to-pa-schools.html. Accessed: 09/17/2024.
Sources & Author
