LET
YOUR
VOICES
BE
HEARD
12
Lung Cancer Surviving Teachers Speak
About Radon Testing In Schools
"If we can get radon out of our homes, we should get it out of our schools.
Surely our kids and their
health are worthy of this
change. l am a middle
school principal who
believes that we need to
make this a law for the
sake of our children." -
Stephanie Langstraat
"These are our kids,
and parents are sending them to school assuming they're going to be in a safe environment," Gail Orcutt said. ”And so we just need to guarantee that.”
"You have no warning signs
that you're breathing in toxic
air," Annie Cacciato said.
"A place that I love is also
a place that poisoned me."
Debbie Greenman shared this
fact on facebook - ”An elementary school student that spends 8 hours per day and 180 days per year in
a classroom with 4 pCi/L of radon will receive nearly 10 times as much radiation as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission allows
at the edge of a nuclear power plant." (Environmental
Protection Agency)
"For the safety of both our students and our teachers,
all older schools need to be checked for radon and new schools under construction
or being planned should be built to prevent the hazard
of radon."
-- Kelly Shilliday, Cancer Survivor, former teacher.
"Our schools are supposed to be safe places for children to learn and grow. it is our responsibility
as citizens to assure this. We routinely, by law, test the drinking water for safety,- remove or contain asbestos, and inspect school kitchens and buildings. How simple it would be to also require radon testing. Radon testing in schools would also provide an opportunity to better educate the public about radon being the second leading cause of lung cancer. As a school administrator I know this would be a simple task to require. As a nonsmoker blind-sided by Stage 4 lung cancer, I know this testing can save lives and health care costs, and educate the public. Our children deserve this."
-- Corinne C. Pert,M.Ed, CAGS. Blue Hill, ME