Asbestos contamination has closed 6 Philadelphia District schools since September. Will there be more before its fixed? It's to the point the school district has asked the state for money to help make repairs to fix this problem. Superintendent William R. Hite, Jr., said the district doesn't have the money itself, but said $150 million would cover it. Will the state step in? State Sen. Vincent Hughes said there is about $300 million in the state's rainy day fund, and would like to use some of those funds to help fix these schools, according to Philadelphia Inquirer. Parents have been in an uproar because their kids are out of schools, or have no schools to attend. Teachers are out of work. WTF? So what should the parents do? In case you're not too sure why everyone is an uproar about this, let's break down what asbestos is. According to National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, asbestos is a commercial name given to a variety of fibrous minerals which have been used for decades in thousands of commercial products, including insulation and fireproofing materials, along with automotive brakes, textile products, cement and wallboard materials. It doesn't pose a health risk unless disturbed, but when fibers are released, they can cause illnesses, even cancer if digested. And this is why Philly parents and teachers want money to help!
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