Michael1942's Blog

Apparently someone is listening. Recent airing of the mold problems in Head Start locations have surfaced. One local station asked some questions and got the usual half truths from the C.O.O. of the Springfield Urban League. These half truths and a lot of outright lies have been used to stop , curtail and derail the Unionizing efforts of the workers. This spokesperson is referred to (in a “Star Wars” reference) as “Dark Maiden” as evil as a villain as you find anywhere! This is a small part of the overall picture unknown to the general public and hidden from the parents of their clients. There is a former teacher who was ill for months with an undiagnosed illness and began to improve after not being in the So. 12th street location. There has been a mold problem at the Cook street site for as long as 3 years and it took a full year to get something done as management sat on the proposals to seal the windows where the moisture was entering between the walls. These problems are ongoing because management turns a blind eye to doing what is required to make a safe place for their clients and workers. The money for these repairs is available but not for these projects. The Springfield Urban league is spending thousands of dollars to fight the Unionization effort but very little to safeguard the health of future generations of children and their teachers. I would ask the question, what is being done with the Head Start operating funds and where is the money for the legal fees coming from? This situation requires a closer examination as there is a pattern of behavior that affects all of the clients (children) in Head Start. It seems that this all about $ and how not to spend it as mandated by the regulations of Head Start. Why is it that a flurry of activity occurs when a problem is uncovered, much like the scurrying of household pests when the lights come on.