MPS lead plan: Milwaukee parents seek transparency, efforts continue
MPS lead plan, parents seek transparency
Milwaukee Public Schools will close two more schools in May as the district and health leaders continue to battle an ongoing lead crisis.
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Public Schools will close two more schools in May as the district and health leaders continue to battle an ongoing lead crisis.
Brown Street, Westside to close
The backstory:
Students at Brown Street Academy and West Side Academy will soon relocate to Douglas Middle School as crews clean their schools. They will not reopen before the end of the school year.
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The school district's plan to fix things is more than 100 pages. It includes photos that show chipping and peeling paint at Brown Street Academy, where cleaning will begin on May 12.
MPS Brown Street Academy
Parents seek transparency
What they're saying:
FOX6 News spoke with Brown Street Academy parents on Tuesday ahead of the upcoming closure. It's clear they're fearful about lead in MPS.
"I think it’s pretty messed up, you know," said Paris Watkins. "We kind of got kind of scared about it."
Milwaukee Public Schools lead exposure; 2 more schools to close in May
Milwaukee Public Schools on Monday, April 28 released its lead action plan as it deals with an ongoing lead crisis. The district announced it will close two more MPS schools in May.
Watkins and his wife, Alyssa Richardson, had their son tested for lead poisoning.
"He’s not exposed. He did test, and he doesn’t have lead," said Richardson. "How will they keep our kids safe?"
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It’s possible more, at least partial, closures will hit MPS schools in the future. Parents' biggest ask is for transparency.
"We don’t want anything happening to them, we don’t want any problems with them at school. They should be safe here," Watkins said.
MPS lead action plan
Dig deeper:
The answer could lie in the core strategies of the new MPS lead action plan.
Every MPS school built before 1978 – when lead paint was banned – will undergo a "visual assessment" followed by a full lead risk assessment where hazards are suspected. The district will also focus on environmental health controls, blood lead testing, building a lead-safe workforce and clearer communication with families.
MPS Westside Academy
"I hope that this plan will provide for parents some comfort in that we do have a plan. We are working with the health department," said MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius.
MPS said 54 schools built before 1950 are a priority. Cleanup at those schools is expected to be completed by the start of the next school year. Fifty-two additional schools, built between 1950 and 1978, are expected to be cleared by the end of this calendar year.
READ & WATCH: New MPS superintendent on lead hazards, funding needs
"A lot of these schools have a lot of painted surfaces," said Michael Mannan, Milwaukee Health Department Home Environmental Health Division director.
MPS said five school buildings have already been cleared of lead dangers.
The Source: Information in this report is from Milwaukee Public Schools and the Milwaukee Health Department. FOX6 News also interviewed parents and referenced prior coverage of ongoing MPS lead abatement efforts.