MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson held a news conference Thursday to address "significant" lead exposure issues in schools.
Mayor Johnson, City of Milwaukee Health Commissioner Mike Totoraitis, and Milwaukee Public Schools Interim Superintendent Eduardo Galvan all spoke at the news conference.
Watch: Mayor Johnson explains lead level issues at news conference:
According to a news release from the mayor's office, tests at several schools conducted by the Milwaukee Health Department have found lead dust and lead paint "that exceed allowable standards."
The tests were conducted following individual cases of high lead levels in the blood of students.
Lead levels exceeding state standards were found at both Golda Meir School and Kagel Elementary School. Results were still pending for tests at Maryland Avenue Montessori.
TMJ4 spoke to Daisy Aldape, a Kagel Elementary parent who says she already has concerns over lead in her family.
"(My daughter) already had elevated lead levels," Aldape said. "I didn't know where it was coming from I thought it was from my old home. but now I see it's between my house and the school so we're going to have to do the testing all over again."
At Golda Meir, the lead dust level on windowsills was more than 14 times allowable standards. Dust levels on the ground floor were more than 6 times the standard, "meaning all floors are considered hazardous," a report from the Milwaukee Health Department says.
TMJ4 News reported in January about a case of lead poisoning at Golda Meir.
The report concluded that MPS "must immediately and significantly improve its detection, monitoring, and control of lead hazards," including revising the district's Lead Management Plan, prioritizing high-risk facilities for testing and remediation, reviewing and updating cleaning and prevention protocols, and proactively mitigating risks to students with developmental disorders.
Aldape says she has mixed feelings on the news but she trusts the Kagel leadership to address the issue.
"Concerned but at the same time not concerned because the school is an old building, very old building you can see that from walking in, but the principal does an amazing job of keeping it top-notch clean," Aldape said.
There are no safe levels of lead in the blood for children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read the full letter from the Milwaukee Health Department to MPS below:
MHD MPS lead letter by TMJ4 News on Scribd
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