More on Flint Lead Poisoning

(Letters)

5 February 2016

Dear Comrades,

In the recent article “Capitalists Poison Flint,” [WV No. 1082, 29 January] we note that lead poisoning is “known to cause irreversible brain damage.” Young children are especially vulnerable to even low lead levels in the body. There is no medical cure that can reverse the neurological damage. However, as a recent article in Wired magazine notes, “The way to treat lead poisoning after the fact is to get kids the services they should have had anyway. Access to early childhood education, for example, is proven to help kids with developmental delays catch up with their peers.” Prominent Flint pediatrician Mona Hanna-Attisha emphasizes, “The sooner we get them services, the better the outcomes.”

The ruling class has shown no intention of providing the resources needed to help the people of Flint. While the various levels of government engage in cover-up and finger-pointing over this racist atrocity, the clock is ticking. Federal law nominally mandates special needs education for every child who requires it—the federal government must pay up now! The labor movement should take up the fight for immediate testing, continued monitoring and the highest quality education for all the affected children, including those of undocumented immigrants.

Comradely,
SH