Are you being directed to “flush” your drinking fountain?

The District recently issued Reference Guide 3930.1, titled “Flushing Requirements for Non-Refrigerated Drinking Fountains.” In addition to all the other duties teachers and HHS employees perform daily, this memo directs that “teachers, coaches and other personnel with potable water fixtures located inside of their classrooms including gymnasiums, locker rooms, and science laboratories shall [emphasis added] flush the drinking water fixtures each day and maintain the Daily Flushing Log for Individual Fixtures.” UTLA strongly objects to the new duty our members have been directed to perform.

We believe that maintaining logs dealing with the physical plant has always been, and continues to be, a custodial responsibility of the plant manager and his/her staff. Certificated members have never been asked to perform this duty in the past. The flushing duty is outside the scope of the duties required under Article IX, Section 4.0 of the contract and also violates the test of reasonableness under Article IX, Section 4.2. Additionally, certified staff members are not trained as industrial hygienists and are not able to make judgments about water quality. UTLA has concerns about the legal liability our members could be exposed to by following this directive.

We also believe that flushing the water fountains for 30 seconds or so is a band-aid approach to a larger problem about water quality in LAUSD schools. We believe that instead of getting into debates about who should flush the fountains, the District should go to the crux of the matter and repipe the schools where water quality has been an issue. Or the District can cap the fountains and bring in bottled water!

UTLA is in the process of preparing a citywide grievance to defend you against this unreasonable directive. With your help, we will prevail.

A.J. Duffy UTLA President	Julie Washington UTLA Elementary Vice President