Panelists included Hernan Gomez, pediatric emergency room physician at Hurley Medical Center; Pamela Pugh, president of the State Board of Education and Ashley Strozier, Flint parent. Enterprise reporter Ron French moderated the discussion, and more than 30 participants joined the conversation in real time.
The conversation focused on how current the Flint water crisis still feels for the city’s residents, the health and quality-of-life impacts for families living in the city during the switch to water from the Flint River, the inadequacy of the response to the crisis, the hopeful news about blood lead levels among Flint children, implications for learning and education, how schools are working to help Flint’s kids and more.
Bridge’s Lunch Break monthly series focuses on timely topics facing our state. Previous discussions have included examinations of efforts to educate students for careers in Michigan, solutions to gun violence in Michigan, the long-term impact of pollution from Michigan’s automotive industry, youth mental health in Michigan and ideas for growing the state’s population.