Four Day Asbestos Weekend For Renaissance Kids

This is nuts!

When I was a kid our Asbestos Weekends were at least 6 days.

What does this say about our education system under Clinton/Bush?

For those interested in what happened at the meeting this morning and the BOE's lack of a clear explanation: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/05/asbestos_scare_keeps_montclair.html

This is infuriating. According to Dana Sullivan, the Montclair schools knew there was asbestos under the plaster on March 31, told nobody, then were informed that the fire doors would be replaced several days before construction started, but allowed it to go ahead -- why? because they didn't think it would disturb the plaster? They had all the information they needed, they were holding all the threads in their hands, and yet they let the construction proceed. They are sleepwalkers.

Furthermore, Alvarez had apparently been asked in September by the Health and Wellness Committee if particulates from construction in the cafeteria -- where, by the way, the kids eat -- had been tested. He apparently never bothered to ask the Archdiocese to produce a copy of the testing report required by law. He is also a sleepwalker.

Alvarez ought to lose his job over this.

They also tried to blame Immaculate Conception who didn't have the results of the testing.

I think that this was a setup so that they could demand that the new school be built.

In addition it was the BOE who asked that the fire doors be upgraded.

We see through you Alvarez and Sullivan.

Walleroo seems to indicate that the archdiocese had copies of the testing results. Yet BOE insider says that Immaculate Conception did not have them.
Which is it? Did the archdiocese withold the info from Immaculate? Did Immaculate in fact have it and the Board never asked? Or did they ask and got nowhere?

BOE says: "I think that this was a setup so that they could demand that the new school be built."

That's a heavy charge.

So while I have nothing but disdain for Alvarez and gang, to say they put the lives of students, faculty and staff in danger for a new school is a bit much.

Unless of course you- "Insider"- have some information... do tell...

So, you would rather blame Immaculate Conception and think that they put these lives at risk.

The BOE admits that they had the area inspected unbeknownst to Immaculate. The BOE admits that they got a verbal confimation that there was asbestos that they didn't share with Immaculate.

What insider infomation is needed?

It's not a charge, the BOE admits to it.

"the BOE admits to it".
They admit to this being a "set-up"?
Where? Who admitted to that?
Prof wrote that your statement to the effect of this being a set-up was a haevy charge. It is. And the BOE has NOT admitted to any such thing.
You may have your opinion, but to toss around allegations like that, and then insist that the people you've charged have admitted to these allegations when of course they have not, is not honorable.

The new school will be built, regardless of the need for it. Our taxes will dramatically increase and our home values will systematically drop. This is just beginning to occur in South Orange. The numbers of bank owned homes in South Orange is astonishing. These are vacant homes and their reduced sales prices will impact those of their non bank owned neighbors homes.

The sad thing about this scenario here in Montclair is that there too will be a lot of bank owned vacant homes reducing further the need for the new school. To think we got one million for Deron (which would have been a perfect fit) is unthinkable. Worse yet, the BOE dropped the ball on this asbestos issue terribly. This is completely unacceptable from a bloated administration like this. Perhaps less trips to China and more time spent in Montclair might help for starters. Of course, they'll probably just create a new position. Vice President of Hazardous Material Handling sounds like a good title. I would think a $120,000/year salary + pension and all medical and dental should cover it. No?

croiag,

were you at the meeting. The BOE revealed at the meeting that they knew about the asbestos but did not bother to tell Immaculate Conception.

The BOE admitted that they requested that the fire doors be replaced as soon as possible.

The BOE admitted to all of it.

Based only on what I read on NJ.com yesterday in Phil Read's article, the BOE knew.

From the article:
"Later yesterday, Dana Sullivan, the Montclair schools' business administrator, said the district just discovered that asbestos was present in a brown undercoating of plaster in the school, the result of testing conducted on March 31.

"We had not yet informed them (the archdiocese) because we had not received a written report yet," Sullivan said. "I wish we had. I don't know that it would have mattered. I don't know."
(emphasis added)

If the BOE even had a suspicion that there was asbestos, the project should have been halted until it could be sorted out. This sounds like a lot of BS to me.

I hope they will reimburse me for the $60 backpack that they now want me to throw in the garbage! or wait, maybe I will have to hire a HazMat company to dispose of it. They'll have to reimburse me for that too.

It should be depostied on Dana Sullivan's desk for disposal!

Again, insider, the prof noted that your accusation that the Board set it up is the issue. Are you telling me that at the meeting, the Board said "yes, we set it up in order to get a new school"?
Why not try replying to the question that was asked, rather than one you want to answer?

They'll reimburse you for the $60 backpack but not for the last 20 years of your kid's life.

There's no set up, cromagnon. Do you really think this Marx Bros crowd is capable of the kind of organization required to carry out such a conspiracy? No, this is a case of sleepwalking. Which is bad enough.

I am far from well-informed on this question, wally. But I simply do not accept that people at the BOE knowingly exposed people to danger because they had a secret agenda to have the school built.
I can certainly believe that incompetence was in evidence, and you are quite right that that is unacceptable. But there is a big difference between incompetence and deliberate malfeasance. Even the law makes such distinctions.

The new school will be built, regardless of the need for it. Our taxes will dramatically increase and our home values will systematically drop.

At the BOE last night a board member said the new school will mean "no more than $200 per year" for the average homeowner.

Well, they can just go right ahead and reimburse me that $200 too! this is insane. And thanks Roo for the joyful note. I am thinking positive. Only 1 of 4 tests were bad and my girl is usually not on the 3rd floor. That of course doesn't help the other kids whose classes are regularly upstairs.

I don't think there's any question that the new school is going to be built; I heard the construction trailers were just dropped off. The sad part is that we are only gaining a few seats out of this effort, if I remember the numbers correctly.

"But I simply do not accept that people at the BOE knowingly exposed people to danger because they had a secret agenda to have the school built."

You do, of course know, that part of the BOE is going to take up luxorious accomodations in the new school!

Yes, mommy, I do know that.
And it proves what, exactly?

I would pay to follow around a BOE administrator for an 8 hour work day to see exactly what they do (or don't do).

HEEEEY,I did *not* know that, Mommy are you saying that some of the new school space will be occupied by Suits? So they are building new digs for themselves and therefore reducing our net student seat gain?? AGGH for Pete's sake! Maybe if they stop bringing in more bodies to take up space then they wouldn't have outgrown 22 Valley!

13%, if you ever mange to get a civilian ride-along at the BOE please make sure to invite me! I too would be verrrry interested to see what exactly goes on down there (I know for certain that they don't answer my emails!)

Dammit, stop agreeing with me but making it sound like you're agin' me, cromagnon.

Wally, my ability to agree in less than clear language has stood me quite well through three marriages.
Too late to change now, my friend.