Ohio schools are closed (again) because of the heat

[teller80]

Yes, it's record breaking (92 today), but do you think it's TOO hot for school? (Most schools here don't have a/c).

 

[Aliceacc]

Long Island schools have not closed. It's been HOT, with temps near 90 and humidity levels in the 90's. It's the humidity that's killing us.

And it's been brutal. I can see a real difference between my 1st period and my 8th and 9th period classes-- and I teach HS seniors. By about 1:30, they're just so deflated. There simply is no air, particularly on the second floor.

That said, we typically get a couple of snow days per winter... and the possibility of a hurricane day or two still exists. So understand why we're open.

But we're all looking forward to cooler October temperatures. September has been far less comfortable than summer school was.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I couldn't decide without being in your buildings, but in general, yes, I do think there is a point when closing schools due to heat is appropriate. If the school is multi-story, with no air conditioning, it is going to get hot on the top floors. All they need is someone fainting on the stairs!

 

[Shanti]

Yes, it's record breaking (92 today), but do you think it's TOO hot for school? (Most schools here don't have a/c).

92 degrees is too hot in those buildings without A/C. The interior of buildings gets even hotter than outside, particularly large, boxy buildings like schools that don't get great ventilation. Excessive heat can be as deadly as cold.

They need to install air conditioning units. As much as they don't want to spend the money, it's a necessity in this era of global warming. They're going to keep losing more and more days like this until they do so.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

We're in FL, and DS's school lost its a/c last year for 2 days last year, in September; broke on Tuesday afternoon and was down until Thursday night.
I did not send him to school Wed/Thurs. It was about 88, with 90% humidity. Most parent kept their kids home; one of DS's teachers said he had at most 5 kids in each class (6 periods).

 

[melanielll]

As someone who grew up in the south, I am chuckling at 92 being too hot. We did not have ac in our schools then, and we all survived.

 

[indimom]

Depends on the buildings and the heat. I remember when I was in sixth grade (in a building with no a/c and windows which did not open in southern Indiana), it got so hot that four students left my English class, three of the four vomiting in the hallway. They had all the exterior doors open and fans in the hallways to try to move the air, but the rooms themselves were stifling.
I don't remember how hot it was, but remember feeling pretty terrible myself, and they closed the next two days.

 

[Poohforyou]

92 just doesn't seem so hot to me even without AC. I imagine not much learning would get done but there has to be a contingency plan for keeping kids safe in the heat. What's going to happen if there's a bad winter and a hot spring? Seems like the schools need to figure something out.

We often get 90+ degree days in June before school is let out. School was only closed early once when dd was in school and the temps were approaching 100.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think a lot of it depends on humidity level and how the schools are designed. When I was growing up we didn't have A/C in our schools and started in August. It was brutal, but at least the schools were designed with lack of A/C in mind and typically had a full wall of windows for some circulation.

I know I'm ready for this oppressive heat to end. My daughter has had tennis matches several days a week right after school in the worst heat of the day. I usually go watch and it's nasty hot out there (and I'm not the one playing!).

I've been carefully watching the weather. It seems a break is on its way. Can't wait!

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

It really depends on how the school is designed. In years past most schools were smaller single story buildings, now their multiple story buildings with thousands of students. That's a lot of body heat added to a building that probably has almost no ventilation. In my HS every classroom had an exterior wall completely covered with windows that opened. Some school buildings now have interior rooms with no ventilation or even exterior walls with only one or two windows.

 

[Bilberry]

When I was going to school in Illinois, on hot days we would have half days. It was more similar to a full day though as we were in school for most of the day, missing the last hour or two.

 

[tvguy]

As someone who grew up in the south, I am chuckling at 92 being too hot. We did not have ac in our schools then, and we all survived.

Been in Sacramento 60 years. No AC in the schools in my school days. No AC in the dorms in college either. Up to 110 degrees, but no humidity, no cancellations.
I was surprise when my son was in high school when they had early dismissal, an hour early if it was going to be over 98, but they never canceled school. 4 years later they had put ac in, so early dismissal went away.

 

[msjprincess]

I live in NY, our schools do not have a/c and have never been closed for heat even on 90+ days.

 

[mjkacmom]

Been in Sacramento 60 years. No AC in the schools in my school days. No AC in the dorms in college either. Up to 110 degrees, but no humidity, no cancellations.
I was surprise when my son was in high school when they had early dismissal, an hour early if it was going to be over 98, but they never canceled school. 4 years later they had put ac in, so early dismissal went away.

Ds had no a/c in his dorm last year, windows were 6 inches wide, 9th floor. It was hot for months! It always goes over 90 some days here every year in June and September, none of the schools are fully air conditioned, back in my day none had any, they are all 3 floors (average 100 years old). It was over 90 yesterday, all of my kids had sports practices after school outside).

 

[Micca]

There was no a/c in my schools when I was growing up but they've installed them over the past 15 years or so. It seems like air conditioning is just about everywhere these days, most people would assume that it's a given. We worry about all sorts of conditions our children experience, a comfortable environment would belong at the top of the list in my book.

 

[blana]

As someone who grew up in the south, I am chuckling at 92 being too hot. We did not have ac in our schools then, and we all survived.

Same here, BUT, we had windows that went almost floor to ceiling that opened, plus access to tons of fans for the classrooms. If these schools don't have access to those types of cooling, then I can see why they need to close. My high school was brand new when I was in 10th grade and the windows were unopenable. A building like that, with no AC, would be unbearable on a hot day.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

Chicago suburbs here, and it's been close to 100 degress for the past week. My middle schoolers are in a 3 story building, no a/c, and there have been no plans on school closing. They have been taking the PE classes outside (the gym is on the 2nd floor) and bringing in fans for the classrooms. Most of the 8th grade classrooms are on the 3rd floor, so DD13 has been getting the brunt of it. It's HOT in there!

 

[Colleen27]

None of our schools are air conditioned and I can't recall ever getting time off because of it. To be honest, I think parents would be pretty upset if the schools closed for heat in my community because so many of us don't have a/c at home that we simply don't think of it as necessary at school either. The high school has huge windows that open fully and ceiling fans in most rooms, but the elem is of that terrible 1970s approach to design with big fixed panes of glass and only small casement windows that open.

Some of the elem teachers will take the kids outside or into the school/parish activity center, which is air conditioned, for part of the day's lessons when it gets really hot (like this week which has not only been hot but also humid with no breeze, an unusual combo in my neck of the woods). But the kids are out of school before we hit our daily high, and as long as the evenings are cool like they've been the building doesn't get unbearably warm. I could see the school being too hot or too uncomfortable for classes in July/Aug heat, when we might get upper 90s during the day and only cool off into the mid-70s at night, but right now the nights are still in the low 60s despite the daytime heat and that lets the buildings cool down fairly well overnight.

 

[adelaster]

Yes, it's record breaking (92 today), but do you think it's TOO hot for school? (Most schools here don't have a/c).

Columbus City Schools are dismissing early as the buildings are very old and not air conditioned. 95 degree stuffy classrooms are not conducive to learning. Buses are still running, everything is just 2.5 hours ahead of schedule. Unless I missed something -it is only Columbus schools, none of the suburbs are affected. They are closing about two hours early. Your post is incredibly misleading if this is what you are referring to.

Yes, we need better schools. No, it does not seem unreasonable to me. I've had to work in one of those buildings. It was cinder block and did not have windows. It was not great. I do think it's a little weird that all of the sudden they care, but I am sure there's a reason we don't know about.

ETA: After research, it appears that Parma City Schools (Northern Ohio) schools closed yesterday, and some schools in Stark, Summit, and Cuyahoga counties are closing today. 35 schools total. It doesn't appear that the temps are quite as high as central Ohio, but they are close. I can't speak to this area-but the decision to close is certainly more drastic than an early dismissal.

 

[Funfire240]

Where in Ohio? I'm in NW OH and no school closures around here. My kids are lucky in that in our district they just put air conditioners in last year but I don't know of any area schools closed. I see the PP stated Columbus - are there other places too? I guess I'm just surprised to hear this.