edges of school garden sprayed with round-up

Dismayed to learn our organic school garden was sprayed with Round-up by school district maintenance along edges of raised beds and fence line in the garden. Any ideas on how to remediate damage? We need to turn this into a learning experience for the kids somehow.

As I understand it, the glyphosate binds minerals in the soil, and allows bad bacteria and fungus to thrive, which destroys the health of the plants and makes them die. I've read spraying a fungicide will keep glyphosate from working properly, and maybe biochar and good organic fertilizer would restore the microbes. I can see why you are upset... I hope the guys who did it are made aware so that it doesn't happen again.

Mulch and mushrooms. This will be a good lesson for the kids -- mycoremediation. Come see my post on the topic (and use the video as part of their lesson). There are common soil fungi that will eat the carbon-phosphorous bond in glyphosate (Roundup) for lunch. The key is though, that fungi need wet conditions, which is where the mulch comes in. Incorporate the plants killed by glyphosate in with the much and add as many mushrooms as you can find to the top of the mulch. Keep everything well watered and the contamination will soon be gone.

Maybe the experience will recruit an entire classroom to permaculture??

I agree that turning a tragedy into a teachable moment is the best way to make lemonade from the situation. Certainly it is a great opportunity to show the kids the absolutely shocking consequences of pesticide use. It also is a great moment to show them about the carelessness and willfull neglect of our government employees. And if you have a microscope, you could do some side by side comparisons of the soil that was sprayed by the poison and the organic soil in the garden. Definitely more to learn from the experience than if it hadnt happened, tragic though it may be.

Thanks to all who responded. I really like the mulch fungi route and yes it is a good time to bring permaculture to the young ones. I have been doing a lot reading and have found that round-up also kills worms, we have been teaching vermiculture with the children and they love their worms so I am thinking of doing "worm monitoring "in the beds as well as building things back up. It will be a good lesson for all as this is the generation that will be one that has to clean up so much destruction. Thanks again to all my fellow permies!

I definitely agree that mycorestoration would be an excellent path to take, as well as, open up the wonderful world of fungi to your students