Harrisburg, PA (WENY)-- Teachers, students, and parents packed the Capitol Rotunda this morning, joining lawmakers to rally for cleaner schools. They say right now, children are exposed to dangerous learning conditions. These advocates are calling on the state Legislature to pass Bills that address what they call toxic conditions in public schools across Pennsylvania.

“The conditions that our students and educators and staff people face right now, it is a public health emergency,” says Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D- Philadelphia).

House Bill 1636, introduced by Rep. Fiedler, would establish a $125 million grant fund within the Department of Education. The money would come from the state’s General Fund, also known as the Rainy Day Fund, and would pay for projects like lead and asbestos remediation. Lawmakers in favor of the Bill say right now, students are forced to go to school in terrible conditions.

“The state is mandating that our children go to poisonous, toxic, crumbling environments where none of these Legislators would allow their own children to attend,” says Senator Vincent Hughes (D- Montgomery, Philadelphia), who has companion legislation sitting in the Senate.

Under the proposal, $85 million of the money would go to Philadelphia Public Schools for remediation. Philadelphia has 200 public schools built before 1950, meaning the potential for exposure to toxins is higher. $30 million would go to districts with high poverty rates, and $10 million would go to any other districts that need remediation. Parents say this funding would protect the state’s most important resource: the children.

“With this funding, you can not only restore trust in our system, but you can choose to make our children priority in every corner of Pennsylvania,” explains Gilberto Gonzalez, a parent of a child attending elementary school.

House Bill 1636 has been sitting in the House Appropriations Committee since June. Rep. Fiedler has also introduced House Bill 1637. This is similar to HB1636, except it involves the grant money for remediation projects coming from the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Fund, the First Industries Program, the New Pennsylvania Venture Capital Investment Program, the Building Pennsylvania Program and the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund.

Companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate as well, Senate Bills 555 and 556, sponsored by Senator Hughes. Those Bills are sitting in the Senate Education Committee.