MPS student diagnosed with lead poisoning, source identified

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) announced Wednesday, Jan. 15, that a student from Golda Meir School has tested positive for lead poisoning. Health officials have identified the likely source of exposure as lead-based paint in a basement bathroom of the school.

Milwaukee Health Department officials say they began an investigation into the case in November. After an exhaustive search of the student’s home and other possible sources found no lead, a parent reported the presence of lead paint in the school last week.

While details about the child, including their name, age, or blood lead levels, have not been disclosed, officials confirmed that the levels were high enough to trigger an investigation. Golda Meir School provides a third through fifth grade lower school program and a sixth through twelfth grade upper school program.

When asked if dangerous conditions in the school were missed, MPS Environmental Health and Safety Supervisor Craig Wentworth said their lead paint program is comprehensive. “We did not feel there was an immediate health risk at all, because our primary concern is lead in dust, where it can transmit to the hands and inadvertently get into a child’s system,” he said. "It's not geared, the most I can say, for this type of situation."

Tyler Weber, Milwaukee Environmental Health Division’s deputy commissioner, also said that he couldn't explain how the child was exposed to lead for privacy reasons. "We can't. There's a part that we wish we could to help settle fears or anxiety that parents have. But if we gave that information, it might make it more identifiable who the child might be."

MPS assured families that the bathroom in question has since been remediated and is currently in use by students. The district emphasized that their lead paint management program is effective in minimizing risks to students and staff.

Health officials encouraged parents to have children tested for lead and highlighted the variability in how lead exposure affects children. “Each child might react differently,” Weber said. “You could have two different children with the same blood lead level one child you may not notice any effects, while another may experience learning or developmental delays.”

Weber described the case as a “call to action” for continued collaboration in addressing lead hazards. He urged stakeholders to work toward removing lead from schools, homes, and other environments to protect children from preventable harm.

Families with concerns about lead exposure are encouraged to contact the Milwaukee Health Department for resources and assistance. Click here for more information on the city's Lead Hazard Reduction Program.