Parent advocates press Newport-Mesa to ban pesticides; superintendent says district will pilot non-synthetic approach

A community advocate and a parent urged Newport-Mesa trustees on June 9 to ban the use of pesticides and herbicides on all district campuses, citing unequal protections across sites; the superintendent said the district will pilot a non-synthetic treatment at one site and use data from the pilot to guide future policy decisions.

Sergio Tellez, who said he partners with the nonprofit The Non-Toxic Neighborhoods, told trustees he has "been advocating to ban the use of pesticides and herbicides within the school... Newport Mesa Unified School District" and argued that protections should not be limited to schools whose communities can press for them.

Superintendent Dr. Smith responded that the district has not changed spot treatments broadly and described the Anderson project as a pilot. "We thought this is a great chance for... To pilot it," he said, adding the district would apply additional precautions, including windscreens, shutting off irrigation to prevent runoff and fencing the area to prevent student access. He framed the pilot as an evidence-gathering exercise that would produce scientific data to inform any districtwide policy changes.

The public comment and superintendent exchange did not produce an immediate policy change; trustees did not vote on a ban on June 9. Staff said they would analyze pilot outcomes and bring evidence-based recommendations to the board.

Provenance: Community comment and superintendent response appear beginning SEG 399 and run through SEG 505.