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Parents and organizers urge Ritenour to accelerate lead testing and remediation in school drinking water
Summary
A parent and education organizer told the board the coalition that passed Missouri's lead-in-school-water law is urging the district to speed remediation, increase parent transparency and coordinate with the St. Louis County Health Department ahead of the state's new reporting website in spring 2025.
During public comment, Christina Contoman, identified herself as a parent and education organizer with Metropolitan Congregations United (MCU), urged the board to accelerate remediation of lead risks in school drinking water and to increase transparency to parents.
Contoman said MCU and coalition partners helped pass Missouri's "Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water" law in February 2022 and that she has discussed concerns with school leaders. She asked the district to increase the speed of testing and remediation, to provide regular transparency to parents and to align district practices with the new statewide reporting website the Department of Health and Senior Services plans to launch in spring 2025.
Contoman said MCU has engaged the St. Louis County Health Department to bring additional resources and can help connect district administrators to county contacts for lower-cost testing opportunities. She reminded the board that lead exposure can cause irreversible health and developmental harms and urged the district to use available funds and partnerships to address risks.
Board response: The board secretary said members would receive a copy of Contoman's remarks and that someone would be in contact. The public-comment item was submitted during the meeting's public comment period and no formal board action on the request was recorded during the session.
