Health Statistics

• 12% of our school children are considered "medically fragile," meaning that they have to contend with some serious, chronic medical condition that may interfere with learning.
• 20% - 30% of all children suffer with a major allergic disease: asthma, rhinitis, sinusitis, skin rashes.
• Allergy is the #1 cause of chronic illness in children under age 17.
• Asthma is responsible for 100 million absences per year.
• The incidence of childhood asthma has increase 200% in the past 20 years.
• The incidence of asthma-related deaths (1980-1987) has increased 31%.
• The incidence of childhood cancer has increased 28.4% (1950-1987).
• Birth defects have doubled (1969-1994).
• We are seeing a pandemic of hyperactivity and learning disabilities.
• Violent crimes have increased 560% (1960-1991).

All these medically challenged students are prime targets for the ill effects of indoor air pollution. Indeed, according to researchers at the University of California at Irvine, children, in general, are 6 times more vulnerable to indoor air contaminants than are adults. So you would expect that our schools are exemplary role models of facilities that meet all environmental health standards... but you would be WRONG! In fact, there are NO regulatory standards for indoor air contaminant levels established specifically for children in schools, with the exception of lead.