The city's mayor says he was kept in the dark about elevated lead levels in the district that apparently go back to at least 2004.
NEWARK -- Before he was mayor of the state's largest city, Ras Baraka was a principal at Newark's Central High School. As details emerge of lead remediation efforts that past officials say were in place in the school system during Baraka's tenure, the mayor says he and other school officials were kept in the dark.
"None of it," Baraka said, when asked how much he knew about elevated levels of lead found in the district's drinking water and the past efforts to remediate it.
"Which is completely alarming to me."
Lead in Newark: What we know, what we don't
According to data released by the school district this week, elevated lead levels were not found at Central High School during the 2012-13 school year, when Baraka was still at the district. Lead testing data from previous years has not yet been released.
Central did report elevated lead levels during the 2014-15 school year, after Baraka had already become mayor.
But, during his six years as principal, "I never got one update or memo" about lead, he said. "In all of the meetings I attended with (principals of other Newark schools), it was never discussed."
That seems to run contrary to the procedures current school officials have said were in place at the time.
"In 2004, the Newark Public Schools began a water system flushing program of all water sources used for drinking and food preparation," the district said in a recent release.
"The head custodian under the direction of the principal of each school was charged with ensuring this protocol is followed daily. Lead reduction filters were installed throughout the school district and high lead content fixtures were removed and replaced."
The district also shared memos sent out by administration in 2007 and 2008 that were addressed to "all principals" and other staff members outlining the district's "lead reduction protocols."
Steve Morlino, who served as the district's executive director of facilities between 1999 and 2013, told NJ Advance Media that although principals did not play a role in the remediation efforts that were in place at the time, they should have received a memo every year outlining what was taking place. The protocol, he said, included replacing water fountains, installing filters, and flushing water.
Baraka Friday criticized the procedure.
"I think they just looked at this as a facilities problem," he said. "They didn't see the need to express it to the leaders of the school."
The mayor has called the lead issue a "crisis of infrastructure" and has said that he will seek state assistance to overhaul the aging water delivery system.
While cautioning parents against panicking about the lead levels detected in Newark schools, Gov. Chris Christie said the ultimate cost of remediating the lead levels would fall to the state, which has controlled the district for 20 years.
Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.