Reader comments
Students try to keep cool in hot classrooms

Anonymous | 6:40 p.m. Sept. 9, 2009

Maybe we should start schools after Labor Day (thus limiting uncomfortable temps to a week or so) instead of starting school in the middle of August. Maybe the Admins haven't noticed that it's hotter in August than the first part of June. Other states use common sense so maybe Utah should follow suit. I mean has anyone noticed how hot it is in St. George in the middle of August?

Anonymous | 7:02 p.m. Sept. 9, 2009

All the ASD schools may have air conditioning, but some of the classrooms within the older schools do not have adequate or any air conditioning. I have had some of my children in very warm to hot classrooms in the beginning of the school year and then again sometimes starting in April at the end of the school year.

its a bet | 7:04 p.m. Sept. 9, 2009

bet none of those administrators are sitting in the sweltering heat in their plush offices. They should have to endure the same things that the students do.

Comments continue below

Funny how we think! | 9:10 p.m. Sept. 9, 2009

I have visited schools in Europe, Asia, Africa and Indonesia in the past 5 years. Students experience conditions that range from what we would consider uncomfortable (80-90 degrees without fans or any type of air circulation) to what we would probably consider "child abuse" (Chinese schools without heat in January where the students and teachers wear down coats to keep warm - you could see their breath with every answer!)

Most of the nations' students outperform ours, despite the circumstances - or perhaps it is partly because of the circumstances? Learning went on as the central focus without interruption - students and teachers knew why they were there, what they needed to accomplish and set about doing it.

It is telling how we continue to focus on the ancillary aspects of education and blame them for our struggles to educate our young - what we need is a strong focus on teaching and learning and the ability to leave everything else out of the equation - "no obstacles, no excuses".

I am a school principal - our kids benefit from sacrificing for their education.

Re. Funny how we think! | 2:30 a.m. Sept. 10, 2009

Are you serious? Anyone who says that other countries children outperform ours might want to study some interesting facets of educational systems. For example, you may choose to compare our high schools to German high schools. I don't know the specifics, but let's say the German high schools outperform ours. People would say we are behind. But, only the top German students actually attend high school, while the rest are selected for trade school environments. It's apples to oranges. I teach special education, and most of our teachers are phenomenal. The REAL issues most often come down to lack of parental support, lack of funding, and then various other issues. It is true that a person can work/educate in hot, cold, dark, dangerous, etc. environments. But, I'd bet that most do better in well lit, temperate, safe, loving environments with good nutrition and a commitment to education from all sides. You may be a principle. But, I'm very glad that you’re not mine. I really doubt you are one though.

re: funny how we think | 7:01 a.m. Sept. 10, 2009

To say most kids in other countries outperform students in the U.S. is just not true. Our top kids compete with the top kids around the world, but our lower kids bring down our average scores. In other countries the bottom kids do not attend traditional schools, they have been weeded out and are forced to follow other paths. But, you may be correct, I am just an average person and should not challenge an all-mighty, all-knowing school administrator.

I'm A 1940 Model | 7:05 a.m. Sept. 10, 2009

Quit the crying and feeling sorry about everything! What do you think we had in schools back in those days? Right-not many conveiniences, just good teachers and students that wanted to learn and go to school. Very few extra cirricular activities away from school but we got by and our generation and those before us built the greatest country in the world in those conditions. Whats the whinning about? Get to work and go to school and stop crying about the conditions you spoiled brats!

Box Elder | 7:29 a.m. Sept. 10, 2009

There is no air here! The thermostat in my classroom showed 100 degrees one day last week. this week has been super nice (not!), only high 80's and low 90's. I honestly have no idea how the children can stay focused during class. I totally agree that school should not begin until the temperature starts to drop after Labor Day. Just extend the year a week into June.

They don't benefit! | 8:03 a.m. Sept. 10, 2009

Guess what, Principal No-Fun? Our students live in 1st world conditions at home and are seeing school classrooms as an uncomfortable torture chamber. They aren't learning sacrifice by being forced to sit in the heat, they're learning to hate school.

Whiggy | 8:23 a.m. Sept. 10, 2009

It is ridiculous that our school children must suffer because the legislature is too stingy and too shortsighted to provide proper funding for our schools. Children do not learn properly when they are being warehoused in misserable conditions.

Dumb comments | 8:38 a.m. Sept. 10, 2009

Several dunb comments give out misinformation. First off,yes, it is hot in St. George, but the schools are air conditioned. Second, it is the legislature, not the schools, that require schools to be in session for a certain number of days and hours -- not that it is a bad thing. Nations that outperform America's schools spend more time in school than we do.
It is just as hot in June as it is now. Check it out. Finally, those who think that just because they didn't have air conditioned schools no one should should check out today's homes. The kids come from air conditioned homes and their bodies don't adjust well to the conditions in the schools.

Maybe they could raise taxes | 9:39 a.m. Sept. 10, 2009

Oh yeah, we know how that worked for JSD.

Re: Dumb Comments | 10:22 a.m. Sept. 10, 2009

Yes, it's as warm now as it is the first week of June. The temperature was hovering around 100 during the last week of August, though. Now we're hitting 85 or so. It never hits 100 in June! Ten degrees makes a big difference in how I feel the heat while working outside. I'm guessing it makes a big difference for the kids too!

Limited Resources | 1:46 p.m. Sept. 10, 2009

To all you brilliant people who suggest putting a/c in every school, let's say you are an elected school board member. You must decide whether to spend $250k on an a/c system that will be used maybe two or three weeks out of the year, or use it toward any number of other critical needs in the school.

The hot school complaint comes up every year for a very short time. Other school needs are there all year long.

Re: Dumb Comments | 2:07 p.m. Sept. 10, 2009

You are no meteorologist/climatologist. Go study the weather/climate patterns of Utah and you will find the general trend is that it is much hotter in August than in June, and in fact, on average the first week of June is cooler than the the first week of September. Please go do your research before you comment on how dumb the rest of us are.

It would be dumb to say that children learn best in severe hot or cold environments. That is beyond not logical, but insane type of thinking.

Lastly, if I have to hear how bad our public schools are as compared to other countries one more time I'm going to (fill in the blank). It is comparaing apples to oranges. Our public schools, though far from perfect, churn out plenty of top people in business, medicine, law, and education (if dare said). We are still the innovators in many fields. Our public schools educate all (regardless of background, disability, ethnicity, race, etc.) while most countries public schools are a farce, they weed students out. Perhaps it could be argued that is what we should do but to compare systems is a farce.

teacher | 7:37 p.m. Sept. 14, 2009

It is the teachers and the students that are cooking in crowded, non air-oconditioned classes. I have never been in a school district office that was not air-conditioned!

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