30 Baltimore schools, most without air conditioning, dismiss students early
Today’s dismissal affects City College, Patterson High and many elementary schools. No word yet on whether students will return to classes tomorrow.
Above: Last July on another hot day, families line up outside of City Schools headquarters for Chromebooks needed for virtual learning. (Facebook)
Twenty three Baltimore public schools without air conditioning and seven more schools with defective air conditioning have dismissed students and teachers today because of high temperatures.
North Avenue headquarters made the decision to close the schools, effective in most cases at 10:30 a.m., after complaints of sweltering hot classes following a weekend of temperatures in the 80s and low 90s.
While “relieved that my students and I will able able to go home,” one teacher tweeted, “I also think this is a decision that could have been made with information they had before we all came to school this morning and sat in a sweltering building for hours.”
The students affected, mostly in elementary and upper high school classes, “will transition to virtual learning, while staff will transition to teaching from home,” the administration said in an online release.
With the heat wave expected to continue tomorrow (June 8), what schools will remain closed will be announced this evening, the release said.
In addition to the 23 schools (listed below) without air conditioning, Edgewood, George Washington, Highlandtown #215, Kipp Harmony Academy, Liberty Elementary, Westport and William S. Baer School will release students by early afternoon.
