Al Tompkins’ Morning Meeting item “Dangerous chemicals in High School Labs” (March 9) is worth a look — a careful look — at any high school. A Post Register (Idaho Falls, Idaho) story reported on the discovery of half-century-year-old laboratory chemicals stuffed into a crate and left under the high school stage. Properly disposing of hazardous materials can be costly and cumbersome, and the potentially dangerous chemicals sometimes just get ignored.
Tompkins quotes from a 2005 Boston Globe story:
Old substances in science labs often aren’t found until teachers do major cleanups, such as after the departure of a longtime teacher, or when school supplies have to be moved. Compounding the problem is a lack of guidelines from the state Department of Education instructing public schools on how to store and dispose of chemicals and how often to take inventory, according to science teachers.
Deborah Parker, journalism instructor at La Pine High School (Oregon) and former chemistry teacher, recommended keeping these things in mind if pursuing the story:
How long has the chemistry teacher been on the job? When was the last time in-service time was provided for the teacher to inventory chemicals? Does the school provide for and follow the recommended storage practices (this requires special containers for acids, etc.) If the teacher is aware of hazards, has he/she requested support to deal with them? Has the support been provided?
Don’t simply trot down to the chemistry teacher and demand to search the cabinets. Research the issue with the help of Tompkins’ column. Show the science teacher or department head the Post Register and Boston Globe stories. Approach the story from a health and safety standpoint, not as an investigative exposé.
