PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The School District of Philadelphia has filed a federal lawsuit challenging a city law that would require schools to comply with “best practices” for asbestos management before they’d be permitted to open.
The district claims the law would “needlessly” threaten the opening of school buildings in September.
City Council passed the bill last May after reports of asbestos hazards at Masterman and Science Leadership Academy-Beeber made headlines in the summer of 2021. The law, which takes effect in August 2023, allows a 13- to 15-member advisory panel to make recommendations on asbestos best practices in schools to the managing director. The panel would comprise mayoral appointees, including a representative from the district, employee unions, City Council and students.
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The Philadelphia Board of Education “did not make the decision to file the lawsuit lightly,” said board President Reginald Streater, according to a statement.
“If allowed to stand, the law could needlessly threaten the opening of many District school buildings at the start of the next school year, jeopardizing the health, safety and welfare of our students,” Streater said. “While we understand this law is well-intentioned, it will not make schools or our children safer.”
Streater said the district is concerned that the advisory board could consist of people with no scientific or technical experience, and he said the law shifts the focus away from the district’s ongoing efforts to meet federal environmental requirements.
“Please do not mistake this lawsuit as an effort to skirt accountability or responsibility,” Streater added.
The city has not responded to a request for comment from KYW Newsradio.