Three Milwaukee Public Schools are hitting pause on classes and activities come Monday due to disturbing discoveries – lead hazards within their walls. The schools facing a temporary shutdown are Starms Early Childhood Center, Fernwood Montessori, and LaFollette School. These closures, initiated after recent inspections by the Milwaukee Health Department, are measures deemed necessary to pursue thorough clean-up processes and testing to safeguard the health of the schools' populations.
The closure dates are surfacing amidst ongoing concerns with lead contamination within the school district. Officials announced that starting March 17, these institutions will undergo extensive remediation efforts, as reported by WISN. Not only are the clean-up crews set to march in, but the City of Milwaukee Health Department is also stepping up to bat, providing updates as they sift through each building to inspect and address the hazards uncovered.
The situation at hand sure struck a nerve with the community, prompting quick responses from authorities. The Milwaukee Health Department characterized the lead hazards as significant. The health department said the closures are necessary for "thorough remediation and cleaning to ensure a safe environment for students and staff," as per TMJ4, citing that the decision followed visual inspections that left no room for doubt about the peril these hazards posed.
As one might expect, details about the re-opening of these schools remain in limbo, for now. "MHD will continue to work closely with MPS to conduct inspections, oversee remediation efforts, and determine safe reopening timelines for each impacted school," according to information gleaned from a letter shared with families, as noted by JSOnline. Moreover, in a move to assist families during this trying time, a free lead screening clinic is opening its doors to affected students tomorrow.
These closures aren't without precedent in Milwaukee. The Trowbridge Street School of Great Lakes Studies faced a similar fate not long ago but has since reopened its doors after an almost two-week hiatus. This parallel situation saw students and staff relocating during the clean-up effort. The resurgence of these lead concerns brings to the forefront an uncompromising truth echoed by health officials: when it comes to lead exposure, especially for children, no amount is deemed safe.
