Robina Suwol, Founder of California Safe Schools
TO: A BIG CITIZEN
The heartfelt work of Robina Suwol & California Safe Schools www.calisafe.org has not gone unnoticed. UTNE Magazine named Robina one of “Fifty Visionaries Who are Changing the World” Her work and the request for recognition for this prestigious award surrounds Robina ‘s groundbreaking efforts to protect the health of children and vulnerable communities through the California and the nation. The diverse coalition she founded in 1998, California Safe Schools : www.calisafe.org includes more than fifty organizations. California Safe Schools created the most stringent pesticide policy in the nation for schools at Los Angeles Unified in 1998. The policy was the first in the USA to embrace the precautionary principle and Right to Know.
The success of the policy led to California legislation, Healthy Schools Act 2000, and AB 405 spearheaded by Robina Suwol and California Safe Schools which prevents Experimental Pesticides from being used on any K-12 California school campus. As a result, 6 million students, and hundreds of thousands of teachers and school employees are protected. These efforts have had enormous success in protecting health and the environment , not only in California but throughout the nation and internationally.
CSS began the day a group of grade school students walked through a toxic cloud of pesticides as they headed to class.
It was March of 1998, when a group of school children, about to begin their day at Sherman Oaks Elementary School , encountered a gardener in a hazardous materials suit employed by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) which administers Sherman Oaks Elementary among its 800 schools. The gardener, unaware students were present, sprayed the herbicide Princep creating a cloud of pesticide mist students were forced to walk through in order to reach their classrooms.
Several parents who had dropped off their children at the school were alarmed to witness this event. One of them was Robina Suwol, whose sons, aged six and ten, walked directly through the cloud. Later, her youngest son, Nicholas, whose asthma had been under control, experienced a severe asthma attack. Suwol’s research on a pest management web site sponsored by Cornell University revealed that a single exposure to Princep could cause tremors, convulsions, paralysis, and other symptoms.
With no litigious motives, only a desire to protect students, teachers, staff and residents near school site, Robina Suwol led parents to investigate. They learned that LAUSD, the nation¢s second-largest school district, relied on an industrial approach to pest control. They learned that training for pesticide appliers at schools was uneven, and that mixtures surpassing recommended safety levels were not unknown at LAUSD. They learned that many chemical pesticides commonly used in schools have a high risk factor for growing children, with risks of cancer and learning disabilities. Because LAUSD cares for more than 800,000 students, the issue of pesticide safety at school became evident as long overdue for parent and community attention.
With the support of the School Board, a committee was formed. One year to the date Nicholas became ill, California Safe Schools and LA Unified created the first policy in USA for public schools that embraced the Precautionary Principle and Parents Right to Know regarding pesticides in schools.
The policy has become national and international model, and led to California law - Healthy Schools Act 2000 The passage of AB 405 (Montanez) was a perfect example of dedication. Robina worked to prevent experimental pesticides, whose health effects are unknown at California ¢s k-12 public schools with Assemblymember Montanez. It moved through the Assembly and Senate and was signed on October 6, 20005 by Governor Schwarzenegger. Robina Suwol is a tireless advocate for health and the environment, especially children.
In addition to the effective work provided above, Robina Suwol has taken every opportunity to protect the most vulnerable populations. For example, Robina has been one of the most vocal concerning current EPA regulations, which state that threshold standards for chemical exposure are based on 160lb. adult male.and opposed Intentional Dosing of Pesticides for Human Experimentation Studies.
These efforts and other work that Robina is undertaking always seem to be in the forefront. She is working with US EPA , AQMD & DTSC to address Air Quality and toxic issues surrounding schools, and continues to strive to see successful policies and programs created here in California to be established as Federal recommendations & legislation.
As more and more discussions begin on Global Warming, Robina has testified and commented that children's health must be addressed. While all school children are vulnerable to this gap in protecting their health, kids from less affluent neighborhoods are even more vulnerable. Higher rates of air pollution from increased manufacturing, lead exposure from older lead-based paint in housing, and other factors associated with poverty create soc-called “toxic zip codes.” Kids in these areas may face an environmental health burden from their vulnerability to school site toxins. In other words, they may get sicker even faster from chemical exposures.
Robina Suwol had dedicated her life to these efforts. The work of California Safe Schools is committed to filling the protection gap for all students and the larger communities associated with schools, especially children and families residing in Environmental Justice communities. Her abstracts about her work and how to implement these policies and program have been widely distributed.
Since founding CSS, Suwol has achieved national and international 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. She has become increasingly sought after for her testimony before legislative bodies and conferences. Suwol serves on several national boards of directors of environmental and health organizations. In addition, Suwol can be found most weekends volunteering at Health and Safety Fairs, Conferences and community events.
Events produced by Robina on behalf of California Safe Schools include:
“Your Life is Now” at the Skirball Cultural Center where she brought approximately 400 students who met & interacted with Congresswoman Hilda Solis, Mike Farrell, David Nahai,. Including representatives of regulatory agencies, environmental representatives, and were able to view Norman Lear’s original copy of the “Declaration of Independence ”. Additional events: 14th Amendment with Stanley Sheinbaum, and Mike Farrell, and a host of events for students which always includes their meeting and working with medical experts, scientists, government officials and environmentalists .
Robina was twice recognized as aVolvo Hero Award Finalist and the recipient of the Environmental Protection Agency Region 9 - 2007 Environmental Award , the Red Cross Women of Spirit Award, 2007 US Pollution Prevention Champion , Los Angeles County Children's Leading Boldly Children's Award & South Coast Air Quality Management District's Environmental Stewardship Award, Prevention Magazine Hero, UTNE Magazine named Robina “ One of Fifty Visionaries Who are Changing the World, & 1st Amendment Coalition’s 2009 Beacon Award , and the Charles Gibbs 2009 Environmental Award.
Respectfully,
Donna Inglima
Laguna Beach, CA.
