Parents of children in the Mamaroneck Unified Free School District have won a victory for safe, clean air for staff and students, following a series of reports by theLoop and a diligent group of parents.
Dr. Robert Shaps, Mamaroneck Schools Superintendent, recently notified the parent advocacy group, Safe Air Mamaroneck, that the controversial iWave ionizing technology, previously installed in all 6 schools, will be disabled by the end of the year, or early in January.
As theloop has been reporting, a large number of parents met with school board for the second time on November 16 to urge the board to adopt recommended HEPA filters, which are proven, safe methods for cleaning indoor air. Their advocacy paid off.
The HEPA filters will be installed in all elementary classrooms by mid-January (pending delivery). At their Dec. 7 meeting, the school board accepted an anonymous donation from a community member for 235 HEPA units for the four elementary schools. However, the meeting agenda did not include discussion around plans for HEPA filters at Hommocks Middle School and Mamaroneck High School, says Debbie Manetta, Director of Communications for the Mamaroneck Public Schools.
A hard-earned, rare victory for parents while yet another example of poor leadership, communication and accountability by the superintendent and school board. The need for change is more
obvious than ever. Who will step up to lead this effort??