It happened not just once but twice, and parents did not find out until too many days later.
And the contractor who sprayed the field did not hold a state license to use the herbicides.
And those who read the bids did not realize the winning bid called for spraying herbicides on the field.
And parents were initially told children were not exposed.
And while some argue that the product used, Eraser, is safe, some argue that it is not and that the surfactants that are mixed with the herbicide, Glyphosate, are dangerous.
Imagine the fear and horror of a parent upon learning that contractors (some of whom were wearing masks) sprayed chemicals on a soccer field adjacent to the playground on a windy day when children were outside and it is easy to understand the tenor of the anger aimed at school officials and the school board this week.
The school board did the right thing to stand up in front of parents and the community and answer questions forthrightly and honestly for almost three hours this week. Parents deserved to have their concerns heard and their questions answered and board members did just that -- making a point to apologize for their role in the debacle.
The board members are parents with kids in the school as well and their children were out on the playground and participating in the afterschool program during the spraying as well. No member of that board nor any official of the school would willingly expose children to herbicides being sprayed.
Board members have identified where the bid reviewing and acceptance process went wrong and will fix it. With the community, the board will consider a no herbicides policy for the school. With the community, the board will get the field fixed and made safe for children to play on in the fall.
The mistakes made were serious, but they were not made with malice.
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