Forming a School Environmental Health Committee Act 125, Vermonts new School Environmental Health Law ct 125, signed in May 2000, sets up a web-based information clearinghouse at the Vermont Department of Health to help schools identify and eliminate potential hazards arising from the use of cleaning materials, art, science and shop supplies, construction and furnishing materials. Parents role is key in implementing Act 125 Because the legislation created no mandate for school districts to undertake specific environmental health improvements, it will take pressure from concerned parents, staff, teachers and other members of school communities to ensure that individual schools make use of the new information based system to protect students and staff.
Parental involvement is key to driving the officially recognized information dissemination process.
10 Steps to forming a School Environmental Health Committee and expanding community participation Forming an informal environmental health working group at your school will get the process started. Below is a basic guide to help such a group take steps to organize your school community to address the issue of health hazards posed by school products and practices. Contact parents and staff Talk with concerned parents and school staff members to float the idea of establishing a working group to look at environmental health hazards at your school. You can hold a living room meeting to discuss the issues with a small group and kick off your organizing effort. Simple lists such as ten most common problems, or health effects of common cleaning products are easy for people to grasp and give a sense of the issues involved.