MLK High students report illness and call on leaders amid burning fire near Bayou Sauvage
By Anum Siddiqui
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NEW ORLEANS (WDSU) — Students at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. High School are taking matters into their own hands in hopes of stopping the fire burning near Bayou Sauvage.
After reports of illness, the school is adjusting school hours on mornings where students and bus drivers deal with thick fog and haze.
According to Principal Monique Cook, 20 percent of the student body feels ill after waiting at the bus stop and inhaling smoke. Students say they have experienced migraines, nausea and weakness.
“It’s affecting the time we come to school and it clashes with when our parents have to go to work,” said Cantrell Lumar, a senior at MLK High.
School officials are now calling on city and NOLA public schools to provide them with more resources as they deal with the conditions.
“Visit the schools more, see what is going on, come up with ideas and suggestions that can help us provide the education our students deserve,” said Joseph Arecasner, assistant principal at MLK High.
Doctors say the smoke can cause serious respiratory issues among children and the elderly. Dr. Courtney Washington is seeing an uptick in young patients dealing with smoke amid flu season.
“I’ve been seeing more asthma, more COPD exhibitions, lots of people with sinus,” she said “It’s pretty significant.”
Dr. Washington provides the following tips for people in New Orleans East:
Put the AC unit on circulate and change the filter Stay inside as much as possible with windows closed See a doctor before symptoms progress Students plan on sending a letter to their councilperson to express their frustration and demand action.
“Pushing back the school time, it really messes with our educational time because we have to make up schedules to make up all the work,” said Passion Henry, a senior at MLK High.
New Orleans city leaders do not expect to receive assistance from the federal government for the fire. However, The Sewerage and Water Board and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have brought in seven pumps to funnel water to the site of the fire.
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