What to know about the ongoing asbestos issues in Philly schools

Four Philadelphia schools this year have faced closures due to damaged asbestos, putting a spotlight on the persistent facilities issues across the school district.

Meanwhile, city leaders said they will keep funding from the district if it doesn’t create a concrete plan for removing asbestos, lead paint and other hazards.

Here’s what you need to know.

Damaged asbestos has been found at Simon Gratz High School Mastery Charter, Building 21, Frankford High and Mitchell Elementary, closing all schools for a period of time.

Gratz has reopened; it was closed for about a week. Meanwhile, the Building 21 closure is indefinite, and students and staff have been moved to Strawberry Mansion High or are learning remotely. Frankford High is temporarily closed and Mitchell will be closed for the rest of the school year.

Other district schools have been closed for asbestos over the years, including 12 in the 2019-20 school year.

» READ MORE: Asbestos is forcing Philly students to switch buildings. 200 parents showed up to tell the district ‘no way.’

The Philadelphia School District knew about the damaged asbestos at Building 21 since June 2021 “and possibly longer,” according to Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. — but did nothing.

“This lack of oversight can be attributed to the district’s historic underfunding that has led to the deterioration of our buildings and inadequate record-keeping,” Watlington wrote in a letter to families.

Oz Hill, the district’s interim chief operations officer, later told staff and parents that plaster in walls and above ceiling tiles throughout Building 21 had been “misidentified” since the early 1990s.

“We’re not going to just give you funding if you’re not going to give us a plan,” City Councilmember Anthony Phillips said at a City Hall news conference. The statement came as city leaders said they will keep funding from the school district if it doesn’t come up with a plan to fix the facilities issues.

State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D., Phila.) similarly said that if the district wants funding, he expects it to also have “a plan that backs up the ask.”

And State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D., Phila.), who has introduced legislation to restart PlanCon, Pennsylvania’s school-facilities funding program, also pushed on the district to fix its buildings.

“They’re surrounded by lead, they’re surrounded by asbestos, they’re surrounded by a ceiling that might collapse on them, and much more,” she said. “The future of our city will be determined by how much we invest in our schools.”

Problems with the handling of the Building 21 environmental situation have prompted an investigation by the district’s inspector general, the superintendent said.

“I and my staff will comply with any information requests. And we will hold ourselves accountable for lapses in timely responses,” Watlington wrote in a letter sent to district staff.

And, because the district is focusing more resources on asbestos issues, Watlington said, “in the coming weeks and months, we anticipate more damaged asbestos will be identified. This is not an indication of a program failure, but the contrary — a program that is working to protect health and safety through the identification and management of environmental concerns.”