Many weed killers are neurotoxins - capable of causing damage to nerve tissue and the brain.  The chemicals in spray on foam roofing and sealant, that caused my brain damage as a teacher, were also capable of causing damage to nerve and brain tissue - but that information did not appear on the Material Safety Data Sheets, nor was it provided by Long Beach, Mississippi, school officials or the contractor, Jim English, MIRI, nor by the chemical provider, Carboline. 

The reaction of the school officials, to "down play the situation" was also the reaction at my school when I was injured and eleven students had to seek immediate medical attention.  This scene will play out again and again at schools all over the U. S., as it has over the last thirty years.  In one year, I logged over a thousand toxic school incidents in the news.

My guess is parents will not be advised that their child may not show symptoms of injury from this product until they are adults.  By then, it will be too late to find out why their child had trouble learning in school, why their child could not be accepted into a college program or training school, why their child could not participate in athletic events, and too late ask for accountability.  By then, chemical companies know it will be too late and that few will remember the details of the incident.  

What if  no parent asks for more information about the chemicals in the weed killer and no agency continues to investigate.  Please comment on this article and tell the readers to go to <http://www.childrensepa.org/> . Parents and the community will find a list of information and actions parents and the community should demand of the school and contractor who applied the weed killer.

The health of the entire school population needs to be monitored and all should be examined by an independent pediatric toxicologist.

Of course teachers at the school did not notice the smell.  To have acknowledge smelling the odor, would cost them their contract for next year.  Without anyone to dispute the school officials and emergency personnel, most parents will end up trusting what they were told to believe.  

But be advised, even though paid by taxpayers, the school attorney represents and protects the school officials against possible claims by the parents and community.  No matter what the school officials claim or how much compassion they show, parents and the school are legally on opposite sides of the law.  In matters involving legal advice, it is better to seek it now, than to find out later like we did, that the school and contractor lied and withheld information. 

Nancy Swan, Director of Children's EPA. Join Children's EPA to show by our numbers that we want the children protected from exposure to environmental and chemical hazards. 

Concerned parents may email me a cepaorg(at)gmail(dot)com

Weed killer sickens 47 students at Edgewood Middle School

news.cincinnati.com

What began as breathing problems for 11 students at Edgewood Middle School spread to 47 as officials evacuated students outside, later determined to be the source of the problem. read more at http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20111011/NEWS0102/111011022/Weed-killer-sickens-47-students-Edgewood-Middle-School

The herbicide: The main ingredient in the weed killer Momentum is a chemical called triisopropanolamine salt, which may irritate the upper respiratory tract if inhaled. Single exposures are not likely to be hazardous, but may cause slight eye irritation or slight corneal injury. It is also a skin irritant. Momentum is a trademark licensed to NuFarm Ltd.

Source: Material safety data sheet from Momentum’s distributor, Lesco, Inc.

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