However, when it comes to building next to a daycare, Stanford has little regard for the safety or health of our children. In addition to demolishing playgrounds, they�ve told our daycare to try to "keep the windows closed" and to "encourage indoor play" as much as possible. As a parent and physician, �keeping windows closed� and �encouraging indoor play� is not an effective strategy to prevent exposure to toxic construction materials like lead and asbestos.
CCLC Arboretum has little to offer unfortunately, as they just lease the land that Stanford owns. Many of the daycare staff are outraged, frustrated, and heartbroken over Stanford�s unwillingness to find a workable compromise. Many are contemplating leaving. Our loving daycare community, which many of us think of as an extended family, is being torn apart. It truly seems odd that a building permit for such a large-scale project would be granted in proximity to a children�s day care.
Up to this point, the voices of the parents have fallen on deaf ears. Several meetings with Stanford and their construction company have all been met with: "This is a billion dollar project that will go forward. Let�s do the best we can.� This is clearly unacceptable: the health and well-being of our children are at stake. On an issue as important as our children�s health, �doing the best we can� is not good enough.
We need a voice and hope that you can help.
Stanford is acting irresponsibly, especially for a hospital purported to advocate for the health of children. We must do better.
Thank you very much.
