Recently, I took a trip back in time. I drove 3 hours (my DeLorean was up to task)to Reading, Pennsylvania where I, along withNEA Vice President Lily Eskelsen, visited Southern Middle School.
Southern Middle, like so many other schools across the country, is falling apart….literally. Over 90 years old, Southern Middle School is feeling its age. Crumblingpaint falling from its walls, floors that have buckled under the swell of waterdamage, a heating system that leaves 6th floor classrooms at 80degrees in the middle of winter WITH THEWINDOWS WIDE OPEN, and broken water fountainspreventing students from rehydrating after sittingin these extreme conditions.
Lily and I spoke with one of the most dedicated group ofteachers and support staff that I have met. They are totally committed tothe children of the Reading community and their one wish is that their school,built as a beautiful model in the 1920s, could be retrofitted to support greatteaching and learning.
“The message these kids get when they look up and see theirclassroom ceiling leaking and falling in is, ‘I don’t matter,’” saysEskelsen. “How can we expect students to achieve in this environment? Giventhat 35% of America’s schools have similar conditions, this is anational crisis. We need to repair our public schools to keep our childrenhealthy and allow them to learn.”
Stepping into SouthernMiddle School was like taking a trip back in time. I recognizedeverything from the type of construction to the refreshing resolve of thefaculty, staff, and students. We need your helpin re-writing the future!
Here are 3 things youcan do:
- Urge your member of Congress to pass the Fix America’s SchoolsToday Act which will provide $25 billion to modernize and repair publicschools nationwide. Visit NEA’s Legislative Action Center for details.
- Take NEA’s online course, “What’s Your IEQ? ARoadmap to School Indoor Environmental Quality” to learn about mold, asbestos,and other pollutants and how you can organize around IEQ as a localassociation. To take the course visit www.neaacademy.org.
- Let us know how crumbling schools are affecting you. Tell us your story about crumbling schools,comment on this blog, post to our Facebook page or our Twitter account.