The purpose of this guide is to inform parents, advocates, and school personnel about existing laws and resources available to ensure that every child and every school employee has an environmentally safe and healthy school that is clean and in good repair. An environmentally safe and healthy school is one of the principles adopted by the New York State Board of Regents; others are that schools should be role models of environmentally responsible behavior and that public officials should be held accountable for school conditions. The guide identifies typical hazards, explains why the hazards are important, and describes how and where to look for them. It also points toward laws that the school might be violating by allowing problems to go uncorrected. The rights identified for users of New York schools are: (1) clean indoor air; (2) an asbestos-safe school; (3) a lead-safe school; (4) an appropriate and uncrowded classroom; (5) safe heat and ventilation; (6) freedom from fire hazards; (7) crack-free walls and ceilings; (8) a safe playground; (9) usable and sanitary bathrooms; (10) a pest-free school; (11) a pesticide-free school; and (12) information about the school building. Appendixes contain sample complaint letters, further affirmative steps, and congressional contact information. (SLD)