Suwol Presentation: Embracing the Precautionary Principle: LAUSD's Integrated Pest Management Policy

Wednesday, October 24th 3:30 – 5:00 pm

Description: After her son became ill from exposure to a pesticide sprayed by a school gardener in a hazmat suit as kids walked into their elementary school, Robina Suwol and a group of concerned and dedicated parents founded California Safe Schools. Their organization was joined by others, including the PTA, United Teacher Los Angeles, to meet with school district staff and school board members. Their work to protect student's health while keeping their school environments toxic-free resulted in the Los Angeles Unified School District adoption of an Integrated Pest Management policy - the first in the United States to embrace the Precautionary Principle, the concept that no chemical is free from harm, unless proved so, and Parents Right to Know

Robina Suwol is the Executive Director of California Safe Schools (CSS), a nationally celebrated children's environmental health coalition founded in 1998. Since founding CSS, Suwol has achieved national prominence as an environmental and children's health activist. An articulate and compelling speaker, Suwol gives frequent presentations on school safety to parents, students, school officials and legislators.

California Safe Schools is recognized for spearheading the most stringent pesticide policy in the nation at Los Angeles Unified School District (2nd largest in the nation) The policy called Integrated Pest Management (IPM), uses low risk methods to eliminate pest and weeds. The policy was the first in the United States to embrace the Precautionary Principle and Right to Know about pesticides used on school campuses. Today it has become the model for school districts internationally.

On October 6, 2005, Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB 405 ( Montanez) sponsored by California Safe Schools. This important law closes a loophole protecting more than 6 million California k-12 public school students, and hundreds of thousands of teachers and school employees from exposure to experimental pesticides whose health effects are unknown.



To register or more information on the Conference: www.wrpnn.org