Don't let #school #kids drink dirty #water!

Kids Are Drinking Poisoned Water. It's Time for a Nationwide Requirement for Water Testing in Schools! Sign Now Dear friends, Access to clean water is a fundamental human right. But horrifyingly, kids across the United States are attending schools that don't have clean, drinkable water. The water fountains in all 106 public schools in Detroit, Michigan have been closed for more than three years, since August 2016. In Baltimore, Maryland, officials have been drinking only bottled water since 2007, after tests revealed the presence of elevated lead levels in the running water. And these are just two examples of a country-wide problem. According to the World Health Organization, there is no level of exposure to lead that is safe for anyone — minors or adults. The consequences are especially dire for growing children whose brains and bodies are still forming and therefore are extremely vulnerable and malleable. Worse still, many schools that are at risk don't even test their water at all. That means children across the country are potentially drinking toxic, contaminated water and their families don't even know it. High levels of lead in water can cause devastating, life-long health consequences, including brain damage, stunted development, and behavior and learning problems. Lead stores itself in children's teeth and bones, leading to worse and worse cumulative effects over time. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has ignored this problem for too long. It's time for a federal, nationwide requirement for water testing in schools. Please sign the petition today calling for Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to institute a nationwide requirement for water testing in schools. Anything less is unconscionable. Thank you for all that you do,   Ellen B. The Care2 Petitions Team P.S. Parents across the U.S. deserve to know if their kids are drinking dirty, unsafe water. Sign today demanding nationwide water testing in schools, then share this important petition with your friends!