More than 100 schools in Philadelphia will dismiss early on Wednesday due to a lack of functioning air conditioning in the hot weather. The schools will let out three hours earlier than the normal dismissal time, CBS Philidelphia reports.
Some parents told CBS News’ Elise Preston that the uncomfortable conditions are nothing new for their children.
“[My son] Juelz had to go to the nurse’s office to get relief from the heat because that was the only place they had air conditioning,” parent Sherice Workman said.
Workman advocated to get air conditioning put in over the summer, and as a result her son’s school did not have to close yesterday.
Public schools in Philadelphia face other problems aside from a lack of air conditioning. Some school buildings are old and inadequate.
In a district-wide assessment, Meredith Elementary School received an “unsatisfactory” rating after the assessment raised questions about students’ access to working water fountains and safe stairways.
“I don’t understand why any school district would subject their students to unsafe, deplorable, oppressive conditions,” Workman said.
A recent U.S. Government Accountability Office federal survey found that around 54% of U.S. school districts needed to update their infrastructure. The survey estimated that students in roughly 36,000 schools are saddled with outdated heating, ventilation, and AC systems.
American University Professor Claudia Persico said Philadelphia’s shortcomings are part of a greater “national problem.” Persico said these conditions could have long-term implications for a student’s education.
“Heat impacts learning across the school year by potentially making it harder for kids to learn and focus. There’s also evidence that if you take a test on a particularly hot day, you’ll score much lower than if you take a test on a cooler day,” said Persico.
Philadelphia School District officials tell CBS News that their average school building is more than 72 years old.
Officials said the district is in the process of installing air-conditioning units across the city and the entire process could take two years.
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