It is no secret that asbestos remains a problem in U.S. schools. In the case of one Albuquerque, New Mexico elementary school, one parent is outraged that he was not informed of asbestos abatement about to take place next to open classrooms.
Joe Sedillo became aware of the asbestos contamination when he saw a sign on a door in the main hallway when he picked his son up from school.
As part of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, schools are required to maintain and implement asbestos management plans if the substance is found to be present on campus. They are also required to provide yearly notifications to parents, teachers, and school employees on the availability of the school’s asbestos management plan and any asbestos-related actions taken or planned in the school. But what if it is too late by then?
Even when the parent inquired to the main office about the situation, he was not given any answers in response to his inquiry. The school stated they planned to notify parents about the abatement later in the week. If your child is attending a U.S. school, do you assume you would be immediately informed about the presence of asbestos?
Sources: KRQE News | Asbestos Nation | EPA
