Drati Defends Request To Stop Removing PCB From Buildings Destined For Tear-Down

Malibu’s school superintendent is defending the district in public … for asking a federal court judge for five more years to clwean up miniscule amounts of PCB sealed up in walls and floors at Malibu High School.

Ben Drati is reacting to criticism from some parents …

They are unhappy with the district’s request for a five year extension on removing the PCB.

The school superintendent says it was parents and teachers who decided that the district should

stop spending money on renovating buildings we will tear down …

This … as a new campus is planned and built.

America Unites … the parent group headed by Jennifer de Nicola … argues against the five year extension.

She says 51 parents and teachers have opposed the district’s plans … and say the district request is “breach of trust”.

She says the parents and teachers had decided to stay at Malibu High in reliance on the Court’s Injunction and its assurance that by the end of 2019 their PCB exposures would finally end.

America Unites argues that the district should spend the 5 million dollars to remove the small amounts of P C B … even though those buildings will be torn down within five years.

America Unites says the district’s decision to save a million dollars a year would force teachers and pupils to teach and learn in PCB-contaminated buildings for at least five more

years.

They call the 5 million dollars to be spent in the doomed classrooms “an inconsequential amount” … when compared to money spent for lawyers and consultants.

The school superintendent has sent a letter to parents this week … committing to a process to move students out of buildings with PCB-impacted materials at every opportunity, provided it doesn’t negatively impact their education.

The district is  looking at all options, including remediation of some spaces, use of Cabrillo Elementary, and discontinuing use of others.

But he says rebuilding the campus cannot be done overnight.