The Observation Deck

I recently learned of a regional organization's campaign to discourage the use of pesticides in schools and on playgrounds and playing fields. This group, Ohio Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides (OCAMP), is promoting "Integrated Pest Management," a prevention-oriented approach they claim reduces the need to apply chemical pesticides such as organophosphates, which studies show can have an adverse effect on children's health.

In determining whether this is an item of newsworthiness, I'm seeking comments from community members, teachers, parents, students, etc. I'm looking into what exactly the current policies entail, whether teachers and parents are notified in advance of chemical pesticide applications, and other pertinent information. If Lakewood has already adopted an Integrated Pest Management policy, we may be ahead of the curve in this area.

Thanks very much for any input you can provide.

I think this is an excellent topic. We don't know a lot about the chemicals we are exposed to every day. While tests may be done with adults, the child's body needs less of these chemicals to make an impact.

An article I recently came by discusses the effect of chemicals we eat on children, which could be a follow up type of topic as well.

One of the quotes is "Parents and teachers searching for answers seldom consider that Johnny may be a normal child who is merely sensitive to some of the abnormal substances in his food or environment. "

Color Johnny Hyperactive/ADD by Jane Hersey

Color is an important part of food – alerting us to the time when fruit is
ripe, making it easy to obtain needed vitamins and minerals by selecting a
diet made up of foods of different colors. But Mother Nature didn’t stop
with mere eye-appeal; she saw to it that things that are good for us also
taste good. Does that mean healthy eating simply requires us to follow
our eyes and palate?

Unfortunately, this approach, which has served humanity well for thousands
of years, has recently been upset by the wonders of modern food
technology. The problem began when a chemist first discovered how to
change coal tar oil into brightly colored liquids which then found their
way into virtually everything we use, including food.

More recently, chemists have managed to unlock some of the secrets of
nature’s flavorings, and can now come very close to mimicking the real
thing. All this is great news for food manufacturers. Synthetic colors
and flavorings are cheap, remain stable in food, and do not depend upon
the whims of season or harvest. Today most food colors are made from
petroleum (crude oil), and flavorings can be made from thousands of
natural and artificial chemicals. So what’s wrong with a bit of petrol in
your popsicle? Does it matter that cherry gelatin doesn’t contain any
cherries, and grape drink mix has never been near a grape? If fluorescent
cereal will get breakfast into little Johnny, do we really need to be
concerned? Absolutely!

Humans have a remarkable ability to tolerate exposure to harmful
substances, but we’re not identical, and some of us can handle more than
others. In a world where neither our water nor our air is pure, where
food is laced with pesticides, antibiotics and growth hormones, where
excessive processing has removed essential nutrients and fiber, many of us
are already having a tough time coping. Then add some of the more
troublesome chemicals: synthetic food dye, artificial flavoring and the
sweetener aspartame, plus the petroleum-based preservatives BHA, BHT and
TBHQ, and feed them to a small child. It’s a recipe for disaster. Johnny
might have a physical reaction to such a chemical stew. For example:
stomachache, bedwetting, hives, poor muscle control or earache. He could
have a behavioral reaction: becoming easily frustrated, overactive,
aggressive, or excessively talkative. Or he may have a hard time paying
attention in school, reading a story, remembering a spelling word, doing a
math problem, or writing.

Parents and teachers searching for answers seldom consider that Johnny may
be a normal child who is merely sensitive to some of the abnormal
substances in his food or environment. The first place to begin is to
rule out a chemical reaction, and this is not as difficult as it sounds.
While supermarkets contain thousands of foods that are treated with these
additives, they also offer a surprisingly large selection of ordinary
brand name foods that are free of them. A food company may make one
product that contains the unwanted additives, and a nearly identical
product that does not.

A non-profit support group, called the Feingold Association, shows parents
how they can easily determine if their child is reacting to the most
troublesome of the food additives. The Association researches brand name
foods and prints books listing those that are free of the worst of the
additives. It offers comprehensive information and support for families
of hard-to-raise kids, as well as chemically sensitive adults. This
information is also available for those of us who would just rather not
eat crude oil. See the website for more information,
http://www.feingold.org

Jane Hersey is the National Director of the Feingold Association and the
author of the book, “Why Can’t My Child Behave?â€Â

Holly,
Have you contacted the Lakewood Board of Education? I would think that it should be rather easy to connect directly to the person managing this custodial service.

Perhaps you can contact councilman Dunn, he seems to be quit interested in public health.

Dan

Dan,

I have contacted the Board, as you suggested. I'm finally making some progress on that level, though I've been informed there is no written policy, which is disappointing.

Dunn is a good suggestion. I know he's been involved with the West Nile Virus pesticide issues, and I think was instrumental in changing Lakewood's policy from spraying (adult mosquitoes) to larvacide/preventive measures.

I'm still seeking comments from parents, teachers and others.

Thanks for your help,
Holly

Holly, thank you for the letter format... and also the link... as mothers of children who are going to be comming into the lakewood school system right as all of the remodeling is being done... i feel like you and i out of anyone should be active in making sure that our children arent at risk.... imagine... what we know they are using is scary enough... imagine... what they are using that we dont know about .. in terms of chemicals.. amonia alone is scary.
Lynn

Lynn,

It's about time you got involved in the discussion!

You're absolutely right about needing to protect our little people from unseen harm. We try our best to feed them well, and give them a good foundation, so it sure would be a shame for them to be sitting/playing in the residues of neurotoxins, wouldn't it? The good news is, I'm told, Lakewood schools do not practice "routine" pesticide applications, but only when "needed."

You brought up the renovations, and that seems like the perfect opportunity to practice preventive measures and adopt an integrated approach using less toxic alternatives. I'm still looking into details.

Did I hear a rumor you're starting a Waldorf school? Lakewood would be such a good place for one!

Thanks for your input,
Holly

holly,
yeah it is about time for lakewood to get my opinion i guess.... slife and mr. warren have been asking me to look at it for a while... but you know how it is... busy... and all.. i started to read... i desided that it is important for people to hear all of lakewoods opinion... lets do some reasearch about this when needed... thing... what does that even mean???? yeah... you know me ... i dont trust anyone.
Lynn