Equity Lab | Why Sac City Unified’s $6 million in air filters is an equity issue
By Orizo Hajigurban
A sign at the entrance to the Hiram Johnson High School campus denies public access due to concerns over COVID-19, as students begin the fall semester with distance learning, Thursday, September 3, 2020, in the Sacramento City Unified School District.
Alie Skowronski
Sacramento Bee file
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Good morning, Equity Lab readers:
It’s Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, and here’s what you need to know this week:
To report the story, we talked to several experts, scoured industry guidance and research papers, and obtained vital testing data; it became clear that these 6,000 V-PAC SC air cleaners were overpriced, inefficient and had unnecessary and unproven technology.
After our story published, district officials confirmed that they are pulling the air purifiers from classrooms for now, and will begin testing the devices for how effectively they clean the air and whether they potentially released harmful chemicals. The district said it’s only paid about 20% of the contract thus far and received 480 units as of this week. We’ll been watching closely to see what the district’s next move is after they finish testing.
Here’s why this is an equity issue: We know that most kids and parents are struggling right now. But we also know that things like limited internet and computer access are leaving low-income students and students of color disproportionately impacted. Many families are desperate to get their kids back into the classroom when COVID-19 cases slow and it’s safer.
Reopening safely means — among a host of other things — lots and lots of masks, hand sanitizer, social distancing, testing, vaccines and plenty of ventilation. It means money.
Every dollar counts. Every dollar can make a school safer. Every dollar can help support the district’s most vulnerable students.
— Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks, equity reporter
Sacramento City Unified School District withdrew V-PAC SC air cleaners it had purchased and placed into classrooms this week. The devices are now awaiting “appropriate testing.” Sacramento City Teachers Association
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3 things you need to know
WILL OAK PARK GET A BLM SIGN?
A wooden structure spelling the words “Black Lives Matter” 17 feet across may soon be installed at McClatchy Park, located in one of Sacramento’s historically Black neighborhoods. [Read story here]
COVID-19 RISKS FOR LGBTQ
Gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans are more prone to have underlying health conditions that could put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study. [Read story here]
CONTROVERSIAL AIR FILTERS IN SCHOOLS
After spending more than $6 million on inefficient and unnecessary air filter devices, the Sacramento City Unified School District removed the controversial air purifiers from classrooms this week. We wrote about how we reported the story above. [Read the full story here]
Sacramento-based Black Artists Fund
The Black Artists Fund is an advisory board of five Black women looking to invest in art creatives around the Sacramento region. The purpose is to raise funding for Black artists, so they can afford to expand their creative minds and prolong their art careers.
So far the Black Artists Fund has raised over $43,000 thanks to donations on their GoFundMe page, which will go toward their summer 2021 grantees. This is the highest amount they’ve raised since starting last year.
