A few days before the start of the school year, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) faces growing pressure to reinforce security measures at dozens of campuses near the Lineage Logistics warehouse fire in Boyle Heights. The United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) union delivered a letter with 14 demands to protect students and workers from possible exposure to toxic substances.
The petition comes as cleanup efforts continue after a fire that consumed a cold storage facility and left about 85 million pounds of food rotting. The fire remained active for more than a week and generated huge plumes of smoke that covered communities east of Los Angeles.
UTLA requires testing within a radius of up to 5 miles
Among the main requests, the union proposes that the LAUSD conduct testing of buildings, air, water and soil of all schools located within a 3-mile radius of the damaged warehouse. If any of the sites present traces of toxic compounds, the analysis should be extended to 5 miles.
“No student, educator or school staff member should have to worry about their exposure to hazardous substances and toxins in the classroom,” said Gloria Martínez, president of UTLA.
The leader added that the school communities of East Los Angeles “deserve more than guarantees” and asked that the district act urgently before the reopening of schools, scheduled for August 12.
In addition to environmental testing, the union requests to guarantee safe drinking water, increase school nursing staff to detect possible health effects, and offer transportation to other campuses if one represents a risk to students.
District ensures campuses are safe
LAUSD Superintendent Andrés Chait assured that the district has worked since the beginning of the emergency to reduce any risk.
"We have replaced all the air filters. We have carbon filters to eliminate odors and we have special schedules for students to stay indoors longer. Without a doubt, we are ready and it is safe for students to return," he declared in an interview with CBS Los Angeles.
In a statement, a district spokesperson said LAUSD has worked alongside public health, environmental and emergency management agencies to monitor air quality and assess conditions in schools.
Meanwhile, UTLA's letter increases pressure on educational authorities to demonstrate, with scientific evidence, that campuses are safe before thousands of students return to classrooms.
