HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Public schools facing mold, asbestos, rats and other health hazards may soon be required to document, report and disclose any problems within their walls to students and parents.
Legislation to require the Guam Department of Education to create standardized procedures to locate and mitigate health hazards and keep the public adequately informed made headway during Tuesday’s session of the Guam Legislature. Though Bill 44-37 still must be put to a final vote, 13 of 15 lawmakers have agreed to be co-sponsors to the measure, a veto-proof majority if support holds.
The point of the measure, dubbed the Safe School Facilities Act of 2023, is to instill an attitude of “if you see something, you say something” in school officials, according to Sen. Chris Barnett, main sponsor and education committee chair.
He said the measure was inspired by the poor conditions at local public schools during recent visits and the lack of awareness of just how poor those conditions were. Barnett described a widespread mold infestation at Southern High School, which earlier this year received a “D” rating following a health inspection by the Department of Public Health and Social Services.
“I know that perhaps the school community of Southern High might have been aware of this mold infestation. Maybe the students (do) because they go to this school, (but) definitely the teachers and the staff,” he said. “But I’m just not sure if the parents or the families of the students or the public at large had any idea just how bad it was.”
A similar situation, and similar disconnect, was repeated during tours to George Washington High School and Simon Sanchez High School, Barnett said.
The bill would require the superintendent of education to develop procedures to deal with hazards and to have them regularly inspected. It would also require a “warning system” to be developed to keep parents informed.
Speaker Therese Terlaje amended the measure so principals would have to be involved in the reporting of health hazards and pest infestations. She said principals seemed to be identifying dangers at their own schools but “feel afraid that if they make a big deal about it, that … something’s going to happen to them.”
She said she hopes the measure will make it clear principals have to report issues, remove any fear in the process and minimize the chance of health hazards coming to light only after years of complaints.
But Sen. Telo Taitague took issue with the bill, saying no one from GDOE showed up to testify during a public hearing. Acting Superintendent Judith Won Pat was off island at the time, according to discussion.
The bill also would require school officials to pay for companies to deal with and inspect school hazards, without providing any funding, Taitague said.
“My question to the author, if you should yield, is how much is that going to cost?” asked Taitague.
Barnett said there was no telling how much remediation would cost until assessments were performed, and requiring assessments was the first step.
Taitague didn’t object to the measure going to a vote, but declined an offer to be a co-sponsor, as did Sen. Tom Fisher.
Another education measure advancing to the voting file without objection Tuesday was Barnett’s Bill 42-37, requiring automated external defibrillators at all GDOE campuses.
SNAP for drug felons
Convicted drug felons who have served their time are a step closer to being able to sign up for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, with legislation to end a lifetime ban on SNAP and public assistance for such felons advancing.
But there will be a caveat should the measure, Bill 20-37, become law: It was amended to require drug felons to continue to stay off drugs if they avail themselves of SNAP, and that they will lose their benefits should they fail two consecutive random drug tests.
The drug testing requirement, put forward by Republican Sen. Tom Fisher, was a sticking point for several senators Tuesday morning, including the entire Republican minority block. Republicans refused to let the bill move forward without the drug testing requirement.
Sen. Will Parkinson, main sponsor of Bill 20-37, asked lawmakers to reconsider the issue Tuesday evening. Parkinson objected to the drug testing requirement, but a majority of lawmakers ultimately voted to tack it onto the bill, which then advanced to the voting file.
Lawmakers continued session at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
The Guam Department of Education headquarters is seen Monday, June 26, 2023, in Tiyan. Legislation to require the Guam Department of Education to create standardized procedures to locate and mitigate health hazards and keep the public adequately informed made headway Tuesday, June 27, 2023, during session of the Guam Legislature.
