A chain of missteps and misunderstandings was set in motion two months ago when an Associated Press article seemed to suggest that nine East Baltimore families were duped into letting Johns Hopkins University researchers spread "sewage sludge" on their property and were "never told about any harmful ingredients." It turns out that the material was commercially available compost placed on lawns as part of a lead-abatement experiment.
Still, Marvin L. "Doc" Cheatham Sr., president of the Baltimore branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, is not satisfied with the answers Hopkins has provided so far. From a historical perspective, such suspicion is understandable; scientific institutions have, to say the least, not always had the best interests of poor black people in mind.
The NAACP says it will continue to gather information, but it's not altogether evident what remains to be investigated. As the facts in this case have emerged, it has become clear that Hopkins officials' good intentions cannot be seriously doubted - although their communication skills may need some work.
