California Safe Schools News Room

California Safe Schools Newsroom - Profile and News Archive

California Safe Schools (CSS) successfully spearheaded the most stringent schools pesticide use policy in the nation, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), at the Los Angeles Unified School District. IPM uses low risk methods to eradicate insects, weeds and other pests, eliminating a major source of indoor and outdoor pollution. It was the first in the United States to embrace the "Precautionary Principle" and "Right to Know" about pesticides used on school campuses. The success of the Los Angeles Unified policy led to California Legislation, Healthy Schools Act 2000.

Robina Suwol is the founder and Executive Director of California Safe Schools, a celebrated children's environmental health and justice coalition founded in 1998.

On October 6, 2005, Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB 405 (Montanez) sponsored by California Safe Schools. This important law closes a loophole thus protecting more than 6 million California k-12 public school students, and hundreds of thousands of teachers and school employees from exposure to experimental pesticides whose health effects are unknown.

CSS also has worked extensively on local and national School Siting Guidelines.

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Press Releases from California Safe Schools :

Trailblazers Honored for Protecting the Environment, Human Rights and Inspiring Youth

California Safe Schools Coalition

LOS ANGELES, Calif., Oct. 28, 2024 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — California Safe Schools (CSS) a non-profit organization was born of a near-tragic incident involving a six-year-old student in the Los Angeles Unified School District, who, along with his classmates, was accidentally sprayed with a hazardous pesticide by a school gardener in a hazmat suit, as they arrived at school. When the cloud of chemicals enveloped them, one child had a severe asthma attack and had to be taken for medical treatment by his mother.

California Safe Schools Celebrates 26th Anniversary – Honors Environmental Legend Ed Begley Jr. and Heroes of All Ages!

California Safe Schools Coalition

LOS ANGELES, Calif., Oct. 15, 2024 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — California Safe Schools (CSS) a coalition dedicated to children’s environmental health and environmental justice, renowned for spearheading the most protective pesticide policy in the nation for K-12 schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District, hosted their 26th Annual ‘Your Life Is Now’ Forum on October 9th at the California Endowment in historic downtown Los Angeles.

Championing Environmental Change: California Safe Schools Fosters Collaboration and Innovation

California Safe Schools Coalition

LOS ANGELES, Calif., July 30, 2024 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — California Safe Schools (CSS) celebrates their 26th annual pioneering “Your Life Is Now” Forum which brings together students, members of the public, local, state and federal government. 26 years ago, California Safe Schools (CSS) was founded by Robina Suwol with a mission to protect children on school sites from ever being exposed to pesticides.

California Safe Schools Honors Earth Day Champions and Celebrates its 26th Anniversary of Environmental Protection

California Safe Schools Coalition

LOS ANGELES, Calif., April 19, 2024 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — California Safe Schools (CSS) celebrates 7 Earth Day Champions for their extraordinary achievements and mindfulness of future generations. “California Safe Schools proudly honors these individuals whose dedication and resolve make the world a better place and inspire others,” affirms Robina Suwol, Executive Director of California Safe Schools. [UPDATED]

California Safe Schools Celebrates its 25th Anniversary Honoring Environmental Health Heroes!

California Safe Schools Coalition

LOS ANGELES, Calif., Dec. 27, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — On Monday, December 4, 2023 at the California Endowment in historic downtown Los Angeles, California Safe Schools, a celebrated children’s environmental health and environmental justice non-profit celebrated its 25th Anniversary with an event called “Your Life is Now” honoring seven trailblazing health and safety heroes and organizations.

Children’s Health Champion California Safe Schools Celebrates 25th Anniversary and Honors Earth Day Heroes

California Safe Schools Coalition

LOS ANGELES, Calif., April 25, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Founded by Robina Suwol in 1998, California Safe Schools (CSS) is a children’s environmental health and environmental justice non-profit. CSS achieved national and international prominence by spearheading the Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy, and for the past 25 years been a leader in protecting children’s health and the environment.

LA Unified Appears Poised to Weaken Public Oversight, Again – This Time on a Crucial Public Health Issue

Students and Teachers are not Lab Rats!

LOS ANGELES, Calif., Nov. 29, 2022 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — On Tuesday, November 15, 2022 a majority of the Los Angeles Unified School Board voted to begin a process some fear would dismantle an oversight Committee that has been in place for decades ensuring the globally celebrated environmental policy was implemented according to the district’s policy and California’s Healthy Schools Act. In its place the Board is recommending establishing an Ad Hoc Committee, says celebrated children’s environmental health non-profit California Safe Schools.

California Safe Schools Celebrates 2022 Earth Day Honorees and 24th Anniversary

California Safe Schools Coalition

LOS ANGELES, Calif., April 26, 2022 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — California Safe Schools (CSS) celebrates 7 honorees for their extraordinary achievements empowering youth and protecting the Earth. “CSS wants to honor our phenomenal 2022 Earth Day Champions. We thank each of them for their enormous and selfless contributions. They all make our world a better place,” Robina Suwol, California Safe Schools, executive director, said.

California Safe Schools 2022 Champion for Clean Air

California Safe Schools

LOS ANGELES, Calif., April 19, 2022 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — California Safe Schools (CSS) today celebrates the implementation of “No Idling” signs near 50 school “hotspot” sites to eliminate diesel exhaust that can have immediate health effects especially for sensitive receptors like school children. Diesel exhaust contains toxic substances such as arsenic, benzene, formaldehyde and nickel that can contribute to mutations in cells that have progressed to cancer.

California Safe Schools Honors 2021 Earth Day Champions

California Safe Schools Coalition

LOS ANGELES, Calif., April 22, 2021 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — March 30, 2021 marked the 23rd anniversary of California Safe Schools (CSS), a celebrated children’s environmental health and justice coalition, founded by Robina Suwol in 1998 after grade school students, including Robina’s two sons, were sprayed with the herbicide Princep, as they headed to class.

California Safe Schools Celebrates 22nd Anniversary and Earth Day

California Safe Schools Coalition

LOS ANGELES, Calif., April 27, 2020 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — March 30, 2020 marked the 22nd anniversary of California Safe Schools (CSS) a celebrated children’s environmental health and justice coalition founded by Robina Suwol in 1998 after grade school students, including Robina’s two sons, were sprayed with the herbicide Princep, as they headed to class.

Celebrating Los Angeles Unified School Districts Outstanding Plant Managers

California Safe Schools Coalition

LOS ANGELES, Calif., Feb. 14, 2018 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — California Safe Schools celebrated the outstanding efforts of more than 800 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Plant Managers and their supervisors at four luncheons honoring elementary, middle school, and high school Plant Managers for their exceptional efforts in implementing the most stringent school pesticide policy in the nation for the past 20 years.

On California Safe Schools Coalition 19th Anniversary, CSS Recognizes L.A. Unified School District’s Adoption of Groundbreaking Pesticide Policy

California Safe Schools

LOS ANGELES, Calif., Sept. 7, 2017 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — California Safe Schools Coalition (CSS) commends the pioneering achievement of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second largest school district in the nation, spanning 740 square miles, 28 cities and more than 1,000 sites, for early adoption of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy in 1999. CSS was formed in 1998, after its founder’s child was accidentally sprayed by pesticides by a Los Angeles Unified gardener on his way into an LAUSD elementary school, a pivotal event for LAUSD’s IPM Policy formation.

California Safe Schools Honors 2017 Earth Day Heroes

California Safe Schools

LOS ANGELES, Calif., April 20, 2017 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — In honor of Earth Day 2017, California Safe Schools celebrates all of the heroes who strive every day to protect our environment. This year, CSS is honoring the following 2017 Earth Day Heroes with awards and commendations for their exceptional efforts to protect human health and Mother Earth.

California Safe Schools Receives 2014 Neotrope Non-Profit PR Grant

California Safe Schools

LOS ANGELES, Calif., Nov. 18, 2014 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — California Safe Schools (CSS) is pleased to announce it is one of 10 recipients for 2014 of Neotrope’s annual J.L. Simmons Non-Profit PR Grant award. With this commitment, Neotrope(R) will provide public relations (PR) and cause-marketing support to California Safe Schools over the next year to raise awareness around its programs and accomplishments.