A recent lawsuit filed by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers against the Philadelphia School District and Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. claims that the district failed to protect teachers and students from the dangers of asbestos.

Teachers File Lawsuit Against Philadelphia School District

According to the teachers pursuing litigation against the school district, the district failed in its duty to protect the students, staff, and teachers from bodily harm by allowing them to work and learn in buildings containing airborne asbestos.

Several schools within the district have been forced to close due to high levels of airborne asbestos, including an early childhood program. However, the teachers claim that these problems have existed for years or potentially decades, and the school district failed to identify these issues until very recently. Although thousands of teachers and students have potentially been exposed to asbestos at Philadelphia schools, the presence of asbestos was not noted until late 2019.

Philadelphia School District has been dealing with asbestos issues since September 2019, following a teacher’s diagnosis of asbestos-related mesothelioma. The teacher who was diagnosed with cancer worked in the district for several decades, and believes her cancer may be related to asbestos in the schools.

Philadelphia School District Announces Plans to Eradicate Asbestos in Schools

In late January, the board of the Philadelphia School District voted to allocate at least $14 million to address asbestos problems in Philadelphia schools. The recent vote authorized multiple payments to firms and consultants for asbestos abatement jobs.

However, according to Superintendent William R. Hite Jr., it may cost as much as $125 million to remove all the environmental hazards from every school in the district. According to another study conducted by the district in 2017, it would cost about $5 billion to modernize every building owned by the district.

The average age of these schools and buildings is 70 years old. Although today there are regulations in place regarding the use of asbestos in public buildings, these schools were built before the dangers of exposure to asbestos were understood.

Although the district has plans to reopen several of the schools that were closed due to risk of exposure to asbestos, some parents think the district may be moving too quickly. Carnell Elementary and McClure Elementary were closed in December 2019 due to high asbestos levels.

Although the district claims that repairs have been made and the school is safe to reopen, some parents aren’t so sure. According to one parent who spoke to Action News, “I am not sending my children to school even if they charge me with truancy. I don’t care. I worry about my children’s safety more than anything else.”

Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos is a known carcinogen, meaning that it is known to cause cancer in people. It is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that is mined from the earth, and has been used in many industries due to its strength and resistance to heat.

Asbestos may be found in ceiling or floor tiles, insulation, brakes, roofing, and other products. However, this common product may be extremely dangerous. If asbestos products break or crumble, microscopic asbestos fibers and particles may be released into the air. If these particles are inhaled, they may cause inflammation and irritation in the lungs. Over time, this inflammation may develop into cancer.

As asbestos-related cancers often take years or decades to develop, by the time the conditions are diagnosed, it may be too late to treat the cancer. Reducing exposure to asbestos is the best way to prevent asbestos-related cancers from developing.