Audit finds host of hazards for pre-K students

Kids attending city preschools might be safer if they spend the day at a construction site.

An audit by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli on Friday found dozens of safety hazards including barbed wire, peeling paint and cigarette butts in play areas and toxic cleaning chemicals within children’s reach at some of the city’s prekindergarten programs.

The review revealed missing window and radiator guards at several sites and noted one facility where a gym was separated from a cafeteria and auditorium by wooden dividers with protruding nails and staples.

One student snagged his hand on a nails and required stitches, according to teachers working there.

DiNapoli said the hazards must be fixed “immediately.”

“Young children should not be exposed to unsafe conditions such as peeling paint and missing window guards,”

The audit reviewed 33 cityfunded pre-K facilities between July 2015 and September 2018 and found 84 violations.

At the 15 public-schoolbased programs, auditors observed 39 different instances of unsafe and unhealthy conditions, including expired fire extinguishers, peeling paint, unclean and unsafe outdoor play areas, radiators without protective guards and toxic cleaning materials in areas accessible to students.

“Every Pre-K site is safe,” an Education Department spokesman said. “Our programs are on par with gold standard programs across the nation, and we stand firmly behind the dedicated teachers, leaders, and staff who serve our children and families every day.”