Dear Supporters

 The State Dept of Public Health (DPH) came out with a scathing report a year ago about 226 schools in the Pajaro/Monterey County area in which dangerous fumigants are sprayed within less than 1/4 mile of children's schools.  The vast majority of children at these schools are Latino and many are the children of farmworkers.  

The pesticides studied are some of the worst!  Chloropicrin was used in WWII and is called vomit gas.  It affects the lungs and may account for the increasing incidence of asthma in central coast and central valley populations.  Chlorpyrifos is an insecticide that damages the developing brain and spinal column of growing children.  It was banned in 2001 for residential use.  So, it's OK to expose Latino children to chlorpyrifos at school; and not OK to use it residentially?! Is it also ok to expose teachers to these chemicals?

This tragedy is even more poignant when one considers that farmworkers are the most exposed population to dangerous pesticide exposure with an average life expectancy of only 49 years.  Their great hope is that their children can become educated and escape farmwork as adults.  However, their children are being exposed to these damaging pesticides in their schools.  What chance could they possibly have for academic achievement and success?!  Probably next to none.

I would like to invite you to please take action on this issue. We are asking that they institute a 1 mile buffer zone between schools and spraying pesticides and at least a week's notice to schools before spraying begins.Thank you