New York Healthy Schools Network

Every child and school employee has the right to an environmentally safe school which is clean and in good repair

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I support the Bill of Environmental Rights.

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Resources Guides

($2.00 each, unless otherwise noted)

 School Environmental Policies: Overviews and Audits

 Accommodating Students and Personnel: Allergies, Asthma, Chemical Sensitivity

 Environmental Education

 Parent Guide to Indoor Air Quality

 Injury, Disease, Fire Safety

 Pest Management and Pesticides; Least Toxic Methods

 Pollution and Waste Prevention: Less Hazardous Materials and Supplies

 Right to Know and Organizing

 School Construction and Maintenance: Asbestos, EMF's, Energy, Lead, Radon, Water and "Green" Buildings

 Toxic Hazards Near or in Schools

 Guide for Parents: Children with Environmental

Exposures

 New York City Healthy Schools Guide

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Send to NY Healthy Schools,
c/o Advocates for Children of New York, Inc.
105 Court Street, Suite 402
Brooklyn, NY 11201

What is the Healthy Schools Network?

The New York State Healthy Schools Network is a state-wide coalition of parent, environment, education, and public health groups dedicated to assuring every child and school employee an environmentally healthy school. Founded in 1994, The Network's organizational membership now collectively reaches well over one million public school building occupants.

The Network is the leading advocate for healthier public school facilities. Our leadership resulted in the State's Board of Regents adopting new environmental principles for the operations of school facilities, establishing an oversight committee to advise the Education Department on facility reforms, and holding public hearings on public school conditions, as well as State Education's adopting specific measures to protect student and school personnel health and safety. Our collective advocacy has also resulted in the Governor and Legislature agreeing to retain education laws and funding to protect pupil health, and recognizing that unhealthy schools may impair children's health and ability to learn, and that environmentally responsible schools are community assets.

Steering Committee Members

Advocates for Children of NY

American Lung Association of NYS

Central NY Committee on Occupational

Safety and Health

Citizens' Environmental Coalition

Fulton Indoor Air Quality Task Force

National Education Association of NY

Natural Resources Defense Council

New York State United Teachers

New York State Superintendents of

Building and Grounds Ass'n

Parents of Allergic Children

The Problem --
too many Unhealthy Schools!

  New York City has over 1,100 public schools enrolling 1 million children, all of whom are more vulnerable than adults to environmental hazards, and increasing numbers of whom are already at risk due to poverty or disabilities.  Poor facility conditions can impair children's health and ability to learn.


  State surveys show that one-third of all schools statewide need new roofs, 37% have ventilation problems, 24% have indoor air pollution, and one-fifth have outdated wiring or heating systems.  Unfortunately, NYC schools are not alone in their problems.


  You have right to know about school facility conditions and management practices.  Try the Healthy Schools Checklist to see just how healthy your school is.

New York Healthy Schools Network can

  • Help you get started locally by putting you in touch with the resources you need,


and

  • Work for change so that all schools are healthier for all our children, their teachers, and other school personnel.

The Solution --
The Environmental Bill of Rights
and better practices endorsed by the
New York State Board of Regents.


• Every child and school employee has the right to  an environmentally safe and healthy learning place  which is clean and in good repair;

The protection of the health and safety of all  children and the protection of the environment our  children will inherit are our paramount  responsibilities as adults;

The capacity of children to learn may be impeded  if school environments are not clean and in good  repair  and/or contain elements hazardous to their  health.

• Every child, parent and school employee has a  "right to know" about environmental hazards in  the school environment:

When environmental threats are present, the costs  to schools, to students, to teachers, and to other  building occupants can be enormous.

• Schools should serve as role models for  environmentally responsible behavior:

Schools are major institutional purchasers, users,  and disposers of many types of equipment,  materials, and supplies.

Schools serve daily as powerful role models for  students and for other members of their  communities;

Schools can be both environmentally and fiscally  responsible in how buildings are built and  maintained and in their purchasing and disposal  policies and practices.