In his first public comments since New York City’s education department revealed more than 900 classrooms tested positive for peeling lead paint, Chancellor Richard Carranza downplayed the risks by saying “…the earth isn’t falling, the sky isn’t falling, our children are not in grave danger.”
Carranza suggested that the department’s findings might overstate the possible risks to students. The tests were conducted over the summer when school staffers “are moving furniture — things get bumped up against walls,” he said. “So we think there’s a higher incidence of cracked paint.”
