The Acalanes school board last week approved a pest management program, over the objections of several parents who say it is not strong enough.
Under the program, the district will consider a "full range" of alternatives to chemical pesticides and herbicides and only use "pesticides that pose the least possible hazard" to the public's health.
At least 72 hours before using pesticides, program rules state, the district must post warning signs where the chemicals would be used and tell those who requested notification about pesticide use.
Officials must also give 24 hours notice through the district's general e-mail list and on the district website. Associate Superintendent for Business Services Christopher Learned said staff will also explore additional ways to notify the public when chemical use is planned.
The district's policies have caught the attention of a group called Parents for a Safer Environment. As they did in November when the school board last looked at the issue, they said this week the program is too broad.
The program bans any pesticides that are new or contain a new active ingredient, that has been granted a conditional or interim registration by the state, or ones with an experimental restriction by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
The parents' group feels those restrictions aren't specific enough, and want the district to create lists of banned and approved pesticides.
In addition, they



Acalanes board approves pest management programParents' group says district's policies regarding pesticides still too broad