The September heatwave continues and the start of the school year is being delayed again for some Baltimore County school kids. Ten public schools without air conditioning will be closed for a second day.
Baltimore County's Interim School Superintendent Verletta White says closing schools isn't easy to do, but student safety comes first. “When we decide it’s going to be a potential health risk, then we make that call in the best interest of our students,” said White.
Governor Larry Hogan weighed in on the lack of air conditioning in Baltimore City and County schools. Hogan said closing schools because of no A/C is unacceptable. “When you get hundreds of millions of dollars and you have tens of thousands of kids, who can’t go to school without air conditioning—that’s disgraceful,” said Hogan.
But Baltimore City Schools CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises fired back at the governor’s quip about funding. Santelises says the state has not provided enough money to make the fix. “We have a plan submitted to the state,” said Santelises. “So, we have year by year—targets for schools that are not being renovated to have air conditioning.”
Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh believes the state will provide more school funding. “We’ll grateful for all the funds we’ve received and we expect to receive more,” said Pugh.
In Baltimore City at least 60 schools without air conditioning or with AC systems under repair will be dismissed three hours early because of a heat index that will make temperatures feel as hot as 105 degrees. Governor Larry Hogan says it's unacceptable that schools have to close because they don't have air conditioning. He says it's a lack of leadership and oversight.
List of Baltimore City Schools Early Dismissals-September 5, 2018
Baltimore County Schools Closed –September 5, 2018
Bedford ES
Berkshire ES
Colgate ES
Dundalk ES
Dulaney HS
Lansdowne HS
Patapsco Center for the Arts
Woodlawn HS
Campfield Early Learning Center
Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies