Schools will not be safe until there is legislation to mandate safe practices. Mike Curry, the Director of New Construction for the Issaquah School District, said that their architects and engineers follow the guidelines from the School Indoor Air Quality Best Management Practices Manual, as well as other codes. Ed Heller, the maintenance manager of the Seattle School District, said that many ventilation systems in the Seattle schools are old and in need of repair. According to Ed Heller, the city does not have the funding to follow the guidelines in the manual. We don't have the money to keep the roofs from leaking.
Moisture creates mold and mildew, which contributes to poor indoor air quality.
The lack of clear standards is also a problem. If we were given clear standards we would follow them, but when there's a vagueness and a lack of specificity, we will follow the least expensive alternative because of budget constraints. Bill Bleakney, the Superintendent of the Bainbridge Island School District, shares some lessons learned from Blakely. Don't use mastic remover orange, do the work during the summer when the kids are not around, and find someone reputable to do asbestos abatement work. The workers must be well-supervised.