Should more NH school districts require students to be tested for lead exposure?

The Claremont School District now requires all children entering pre-K and kindergarten to be tested for lead in their blood.

Lead poisoning is tied to learning disabilities and aggressive behavior in young people. City officials, including Claremont Mayor Charlene Lovett, hope that the tests will help catch lead exposure early so that parents can take action to correct it.

Lead exposure in NH

Lead paint is the leading cause of elevated lead levels in New Hampshire. Sixty-two percent of all housing in the state was constructed before lead paint was outlawed in 1978, giving NH the oldest housing stock in the country.

Exposure to even a miniscule amount of lead paint dust can be toxic for young children. Getting more kids screened won’t solve the problem by itself, but Claremont officials hope test results will encourage parents to take preventative action. Funding for lead paint removal

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the NH Housing Finance Authority $2.9 million toward lead-based paint abatement. Those living pre-1978 housing with lead paint hazards can apply to have the paint safely removed at a fraction of the full cost. The grant mainly targets low-income families with children who have elevated blood lead levels.

Recommended lead screening in some areas

State health officials already recommend universal lead screening of young children in many communities, including Manchester, Concord, Portsmouth, and Nashua. Some feel more school districts should follow Claremont’s lead and require that parents have their pre-K and kindergarten students tested.

Pros and cons

Proponents of universal testing argue it is a way to encourage awareness and to prevent irreparable harm to children. Since the effects of lead poisoning can drastically impact a young student’s ability to learn and get along with peers, it makes sense that schools would mandate such a test. The screenings are simple procedures, requiring only a small prick of the child’s finger. The data gained from these tests can help officials identify and respond to lead poisoning in their communities.

Opponents of schools mandating lead testing feel it would be overreach on the part of school officials. They believe that decisions about medical screenings should be left up to individual families rather than local school boards. While schools often mandate certain vaccinations against diseases which could spread from child to child, lead poisoning only threatens those who are directly exposed to the neurotoxin. Therefore, it is the responsibility of parents to be sure their children live in a lead-free environment.

What do you think? Should more NH school districts require blood tests for lead exposure? Let us know by leaving a comment – yes or no, and why – in the comments below.