No Child Left Behind Leaves Out Healthy Schools
17 million children are attending schools that undermine their health and learning. The No Child Left Behind effort has been a centerpiece of the Bush Administration's agenda. Yet, in the 3 years since the program's inception, the Bush Administration has failed to allocate even one dollar for the Healthy and High Performance Schools Program. Let the Bush Administration know that this failure will not be tolerated by the American public.
Send a letter to Rod Paige, Secretary, Department of Education telling him that you want funding for healthy schools.
Dear Secretary Paige:
A centerpiece of the Bush Administrations agenda has been the No Child Left Behind effort. Yet, in the 3 years since the programs inception, the Bush Administration has failed to allocate even one dollar for the Healthy and High Performance Schools Program.
The program was created to alleviate problems such as mold, pesticide use, lead-contaminated drinking water and asbestos exposure in aging public schools around the country because 17 million children are attending schools that undermine their health and learning.
Substantial evidence exists that exposure to indoor environmental allergens, often found in schools, plays a role in triggering asthma. Asthma alone is the cause of approximately 14 million missed school days a year. Ignoring this is not an effective way to close the achievement gap.
I urge you to fund the Healthy and High Performance Schools Program, so that the children of America are not hurt by the very institution that is supposed to be educating them. A $25 million federal investment to promote Healthy High Performance Schools building standards in each of the states would move the school construction industry towards accessible, healthy and efficient school buildings with good air quality.
Sincerely,
