BALTIMORE, Md. — Once again, hot weather had students at several Baltimore City schools getting out early because their buildings don't have air conditioning.
More than two dozen schools were scheduled to close early on Monday.
The new school year had only been in session for two weeks, and students already have had several early dismissals because of either a lack or A/C or A/C that doesn't work.
It’s an ongoing problem. Baltimore City schools have been battling hot classrooms brought on by the heat and humidity for years.
There are 27 buildings on Monday’s list of Baltimore City schools closing early on account of the heat.
Twenty-one of those schools don't have any A/C units at all.
Six other schools on the list have A/C units but are still broken and have yet to be fixed.
Students at all 27 of the schools on Monday’s list were scheduled to get out at noon.
Since the start of the new school year, parents have said the early dismissals because of no A/C are frustrating for both them and their kids.
Parent Angie Smith Winder said “there are a lot of jobs that are not flexible. Parents are really losing out on either their pay or just maybe they have to transfer because their job is not going to help them in that area. But also, our students are losing learning hours behind this.”
Administrators say transportation will be provided to students who need it.
List of Baltimore City schools closing early.
Despite recent criticism from Governor Larry Hogan, a schools spokesperson told WMAR-2 that the system has reduced the number of schools without air conditioning from 75 in 2017 to 21 schools as of August 30, 2021.
"City Schools is successfully implementing the air conditioning plan approved by Gov. Larry Hogan in 2017. The plan calls for all school buildings to be air conditioned by the 2022-2023 school year, depending on approvals and the availability of state funding. City Schools is on track to meet that goal."
