Wow - these kids and their science project kicked up a storm...some want to bury heads in sand...

[The Straight Story]

Science project's findings raising concerns in small farming town

HASTINGS, Fla. (AP) -- A high school science project has created concern among some parents in this small community after its teenage authors concluded chemicals from neighboring cabbage farms are contaminating the air near a new elementary school.

Administrators at South Woods Elementary School say the conclusions reached by Alex Lowe and ReAnna Greene, both 17, are flawed and speculative and causing unnecessary alarm in the community. The girls did receive significant assistance from a group that's opposed to pesticide use.

.....

The girls and their teacher decided to test the air at South Woods Elementary, which opened in August 2005 and has 598 students and 72 staff members. The school sits in the middle of cabbage fields - the area grows half of the state's crop. Potatoes for the chip industry are also grown here.
...

According to the girls, the results showed the pesticides diazinon and trifluralin and the herbicide endosulfin are in the air near the school. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency decided in 2000 to phase out residential use of diazinon to reduce risk to children and others. Endosulfin can affect hormones that regulate growth and development, the agency says. Trifluralin is a possible carcinogen.

But school officials say testing was done on the site before the school was built and the air was found safe.

"I am upset that the conclusions drawn ... are causing fears in our students, parents, faculty and community," Principal Brian McElhone said in a letter sent home to families. Yu an Farms, the corporation that owns the cabbage fields, did not return several calls seeking comment.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_ENVIRONMENTAL_YOUTH_FLOL-?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

[Cabcere]

1. Silent Spring redux?

If I recall correctly, the gov't. people said Rachel Carson's work was "flawed and speculative" as well. Interesting.

[Miss Chybil]

2. Easy solution... have it tested by professionals.

If I were a parent there, I'd demand it.

[Kali]

3. While I agree that if there are school kids being exposed to toxic chemicals,

it needs to be addressed but I can't help thinking it is a little bit like the guy who moves in next to the airport complaining about the noise?

[alfredo]

4. the city had a choice, but the kids don't.

[Kelly Rupert]

5. I can understand the school's position.

They have two different data sets, provided by:

1. The EPA-registered professionals who measured the air quality around the school.

2. Two 17-year-olds with no formal training who were given "significant assistance" by anti-pesticide activists.

Personally, I'd believe (1) until I had actual verification of (2).

[dysfunctional press]

6. when was the testing "before the school was built" done...?

they could have tested the air during that part of the growing season when the pesticides aren't being applied.