PS 51 Parents United, a group of concerned parents of children who attend or used to attend PS 51 (The Bronx New School), will be looking for support and answers from state officials at a Bronx Community Board 7 meeting tonight in Bedford Park. Last year, inspectors discovered high levels of trichloroethylene (TCE), a toxin linked to cancer, at the Bedford Park building (3200 Jerome Ave.) Bronx New School called home for two decades.

Several Community Board 7 members, including Chairman Paul Foster, Vice Chair Adaline Santiago-Walker and Helene Hartman-Kutnowsky, have children who attended Bronx New School, making the issue extremely personal. Many parents of PS 51 alumni have been upset with the lack of response from the DOE about their concerns. Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott met with the current PS 51 administration and parents association, but not parents of alumni. Most parents of alumni found out about the toxins through media reports.

Tonight, parents will be directing their questions and concerns at three state officials: Dana Kaplan, Environmental Engineer for the Division of Environmental Remediation (NYSDEC); Dawn Hettrick, Public Health Engineer for the Bureau of Environmental Exposure Investigation (NYSDOH); Elizabeth Lewis-Michl Community Exposure Research for the Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology (NYSDOH).

The state will be providing some background and updates, as well as some answers about what kind of health effects TCE exposure can cause.

According to a press release, at the meeting tonight, Bronx Parents United:

“Will call for the establishment of a Community Advisory Group to oversee the remediation process and further health studies. They want NYS DOH to establish clear recommendations to NYC DOH for the notification of all parents of students who attended school at 3200 Jerome Ave and their physicians and the creation of a medical registry and medical monitoring program for all students who attended school at that site. Parents say that their must be unified regulations for comprehensive environmental review of DOE leased and owned school facilities and the City must pass new legislation mandating the timely notification of parents any time the DOE conducts environmental testing in their school.”

Parents looking to get involved or receive more information can contact Helene Hartman-Kutnowsky, kutnow3@yahoo.com.