At Last, Environmentals are Doing Something Right

School Buses Could Expose Kids To Pollution
(AP) WASHINGTON Tens of thousands of school buses are exposing students to excessive pollution, contributing to asthma problems and other respiratory ailments, according to a new report that grades the nation's bus fleets. "School buses can be a major source of pollution exposure for children," said Patricia Monahan, an analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, which released the report Wednesday. "When it comes to protecting kids' health, a poor job of cleaning up bus emissions is unacceptable." The group, which produces independent research on energy and environmental issues, issued a National School Bus Report Card that shows that most states aren't doing enough to protect 25 million students from pollution while riding or waiting for school buses. After examining data supplied by all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the Washington, D.C.-based organization decided to give no A grades based on tailpipe emissions, or soot pollution -- one of several factors examined in the report. But it handed out 16 B's to the District and states such as Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York. Delaware and the District outperformed the states based on emission rates -- with just over 9 pounds of pollution per bus in 2005. That's mainly due to their newer fleets. The worst polluter was South Carolina, closely followed by South Dakota. Both earned D grades. Still, some states are working to cut emissions.

We finally have a reason to close public schools. I can't expect children to be poisoned by bus exhaust, therefore the only rational course of action is the dissolution of all public schools forthwith.