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Acalanes School District Applied Toxic Pesticides on Playing Fields
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Acalanes School District Applied Toxic Pesticides on Playing Fields in the Summer of 2009 after promising not to use these
Hi All:
Without notifying parents, the Acalanes Unified High School District sprayed a toxic pesticide on 2 of the Campolindo fields during the summer. There are alternative products and approaches that are being successfully used at school districts throughout the country.
Please find below some dot points that will give you some background on the District's activities and the pesticide they applied. Also below are the e-mails for everyone in the district you need to address.
What we (the parents who have been working on this issue) would like is a written Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy for the District. IPM policies encourage the reduction in the use of toxic pesticides (including herbicides) by resorting to them only after safer, alternative methods have been fully considered and/or implemented.
A few of us will be making a statement at the Governing Board Meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, September 9th and if you and/or your spouses, kids, friends, etc. could come to show your concern and support that would be great. (Please contact Carol if you can make it or if you want to speak.) If you're unable to come, if you could please contact the school district, tell them that you don't want your child(ren) exposed to pesticides, and that you want a written IPM Policy for the District that would also be helpful. (***see below)
Public comment period comes at the beginning of the meeting. It shouldn't take long since each speaker only has 3 minutes. The meeting starts at 7:30, and the address is: the Board Room of the Acalanes Union High School District Office, 1212 Pleasant Hill Road, Lafayette.
We're also going to be asking that this issue be put on a future Governing Board agenda, and it would be great to have your presence at that meeting too. The bottom line is that the District is putting the health of our children at risk and something needs to be done about it.
Thanks very much, and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Carol at 925-376-7717.
*** School Board Members, Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, Building and Landscaping Staff Supervisors: CLearned@acalanes.k12.ca.us; superintendent@acalanes.k12.ca.us; facilities@acalanes.k12.ca.us; maintenance@acalanes.k12.ca.us; rwhitmore@acalanes.k12.ca.us; greinke@acalanes.k12.ca.us; tmulvaney@acalanes.k12.ca.us; vcrews@acalanes.k12.ca.us; kcoppersmith@acalanes.k12.ca.us
Talking points to consider (copy & paste or write something of your own)

On September 2nd of last year, District staff met with Parents for a Safer Environment representatives and other concerned parents about the District’s use of pesticides at their sites. Because of the health risks to students, by the end of the meeting parents were assured that the only pesticide that would be used was Round Up in select areas and that no pesticides would be applied to sports fields. At the January 14th Governing Board Meeting, staff again reiterated that Round up was the only product the District was using and that they were very concerned about keeping students safe. On both occasions, staff said that they were not in favor of a formal written IPM policy.
The parent meeting was covered by the Lamorinda Weekly, and the link to the article on this event is:
http://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue0214/print/No-More-Pesticides-at-Local-High-Schools.html
The link to the Governing Board Meeting minutes is:
http://www.boarddocs.com/ca/auhsd/Board.nsf/ef7adad9495f0c4a8725731b0060d015/df0d76fd616cbebe8725753e00685e86?OpenDocument

Without notifying parents, the District used the herbicide Best Turf Supreme with Trimec on the Campolindo soccer field on June 24th and on the baseball field on June 26th. It contains one chemical that is a known reproductive/developmental toxin and another that is a possible carcinogen and a suspected endocrine disruptor (a toxin that interferes with the hormonal systems of humans). While school was not in session, the fields are used constantly during the summer by students and other community members, and because of the length of time it takes for these chemicals to breakdown, they were undoubtedly exposed to these toxins. Also, it is certainly possible that the students and staff are continuing to be exposed.

It appears that there is no formal procedure for evaluating the safety of and safer alternatives to the pesticides used by the District. California PTA states in their position statement on the use of pesticides in and around schools that “… pesticides are by nature poisons, and exposure even at low levels may cause serious adverse health effects. Children, because of their high metabolism [and] their developing organs and life-systems… are particularly vulnerable to the health impact of pesticides.”

Many pesticides that were once used have been banned following studies showing their adverse health impacts on people. These illnesses, including cancer, can take many years to manifest. It is now understood that teens who have developing sexual organs are very susceptible to hormone disruptors and developmental toxicants (like those found in the pesticide applied). Testicular and prostrate cancers are among the most common forms of cancers in men, and breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women.

Before a product is used, it should be approved by a committee comprised of parents, staff, and community members that provide a careful review of the product’s contents, precautions, and adverse health effects, and explore and give priority to no or low risk alternatives. This evaluation is one component of a written IPM policy.

IPM policies have been adopted by many California school districts including Moraga, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, Fremont, and San Diego. Over 1000 Moraga, Lafayette, Orinda, and Walnut Creek residents have signed petitions supporting IPM policies for their communities, including their local school districts. IPM has been endorsed by many entities/organizations including the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, the U.S. EPA, the California and National PTAs, and the American Medical Association.

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Acalanes School District Applied Toxic Pesticides on Playing Fields
Home Background Pesticides Current Projects & Committees Environmental Hazards in Schools Press and News Releases Recipes for Safer Cleaning Recommended Businesses Environmental Topics Related Websites Donations Jobs Available Advisory Board	Acalanes School District Applied Toxic Pesticides on Playing Fields in the Summer of 2009 after promising not to use these Hi All: Without notifying parents, the Acalanes Unified High School District sprayed a toxic pesticide on 2 of the Campolindo fields during the summer. There are alternative products and approaches that are being successfully used at school districts throughout the country. Please find below some dot points that will give you some background on the District's activities and the pesticide they applied. Also below are the e-mails for everyone in the district you need to address. What we (the parents who have been working on this issue) would like is a written Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy for the District. IPM policies encourage the reduction in the use of toxic pesticides (including herbicides) by resorting to them only after safer, alternative methods have been fully considered and/or implemented. A few of us will be making a statement at the Governing Board Meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, September 9th and if you and/or your spouses, kids, friends, etc. could come to show your concern and support that would be great. (Please contact Carol if you can make it or if you want to speak.) If you're unable to come, if you could please contact the school district, tell them that you don't want your child(ren) exposed to pesticides, and that you want a written IPM Policy for the District that would also be helpful. (*see below) Public comment period comes at the beginning of the meeting. It shouldn't take long since each speaker only has 3 minutes. The meeting starts at 7:30, and the address is: the Board Room of the Acalanes Union High School District Office, 1212 Pleasant Hill Road, Lafayette. We're also going to be asking that this issue be put on a future Governing Board agenda, and it would be great to have your presence at that meeting too. The bottom line is that the District is putting the health of our children at risk and something needs to be done about it. Thanks very much, and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Carol at 925-376-7717. * School Board Members, Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, Building and Landscaping Staff Supervisors: CLearned@acalanes.k12.ca.us; superintendent@acalanes.k12.ca.us; facilities@acalanes.k12.ca.us; maintenance@acalanes.k12.ca.us; rwhitmore@acalanes.k12.ca.us; greinke@acalanes.k12.ca.us; tmulvaney@acalanes.k12.ca.us; vcrews@acalanes.k12.ca.us; kcoppersmith@acalanes.k12.ca.us Talking points to consider (copy & paste or write something of your own) On September 2nd of last year, District staff met with Parents for a Safer Environment representatives and other concerned parents about the District’s use of pesticides at their sites. Because of the health risks to students, by the end of the meeting parents were assured that the only pesticide that would be used was Round Up in select areas and that no pesticides would be applied to sports fields. At the January 14th Governing Board Meeting, staff again reiterated that Round up was the only product the District was using and that they were very concerned about keeping students safe. On both occasions, staff said that they were not in favor of a formal written IPM policy. The parent meeting was covered by the Lamorinda Weekly, and the link to the article on this event is: http://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue0214/print/No-More-Pesticides-at-Local-High-Schools.html The link to the Governing Board Meeting minutes is: http://www.boarddocs.com/ca/auhsd/Board.nsf/ef7adad9495f0c4a8725731b0060d015/df0d76fd616cbebe8725753e00685e86?OpenDocument Without notifying parents, the District used the herbicide Best Turf Supreme with Trimec on the Campolindo soccer field on June 24th and on the baseball field on June 26th. It contains one chemical that is a known reproductive/developmental toxin and another that is a possible carcinogen and a suspected endocrine disruptor (a toxin that interferes with the hormonal systems of humans). While school was not in session, the fields are used constantly during the summer by students and other community members, and because of the length of time it takes for these chemicals to breakdown, they were undoubtedly exposed to these toxins. Also, it is certainly possible that the students and staff are continuing to be exposed. It appears that there is no formal procedure for evaluating the safety of and safer alternatives to the pesticides used by the District. California PTA states in their position statement on the use of pesticides in and around schools that “… pesticides are by nature poisons, and exposure even at low levels may cause serious adverse health effects. Children, because of their high metabolism [and] their developing organs and life-systems… are particularly vulnerable to the health impact of pesticides.” Many pesticides that were once used have been banned following studies showing their adverse health impacts on people. These illnesses, including cancer, can take many years to manifest. It is now understood that teens who have developing sexual organs are very susceptible to hormone disruptors and developmental toxicants (like those found in the pesticide applied). Testicular and prostrate cancers are among the most common forms of cancers in men, and breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women. Before a product is used, it should be approved by a committee comprised of parents, staff, and community members that provide a careful review of the product’s contents, precautions, and adverse health effects, and explore and give priority to no or low risk alternatives. This evaluation is one component of a written IPM policy. IPM policies have been adopted by many California school districts including Moraga, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, Fremont, and San Diego. Over 1000 Moraga, Lafayette, Orinda, and Walnut Creek residents have signed petitions supporting IPM policies for their communities, including their local school districts. IPM has been endorsed by many entities/organizations including the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, the U.S. EPA, the California and National PTAs, and the American Medical Association.
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