School Air Conditioning

I have just read that the Los Angeles school district has changed its mind about installing cooling systems in its Valley schools’ classrooms.

I am appalled! I wish that those who made that decision could be assigned to sit for a couple of hours in one of the Valley classrooms.

You probably are thinking, “Warm? Well better warm than cold. The children will adjust.”

I remember one day when parents were invited to visit their child’s classroom to observe a special class program. It was hot!

All of a sudden, one of the fathers leaped out of his seat and said, “I’m sorry. I just can’t take this heat anymore! I thought, of course, that you had air conditioning. I just can’t believe our children have to put up with this!”

He left, and we quietly ended our program.

This all occurred about the time a new prison was being built in downtown Los Angeles. There was a huge outcry from the public because air conditioning was being installed, and it seemed we were babying our criminals.

The protests were answered by those in charge. “Look,” they said, “if we submit the prisoners to these temperatures we can be accused of torture.” They proved their point by listing high temperatures of the past week, figures that were all exceeded daily in our Valley.

Needless to say, the prison got its air conditioning. And when temperatures are too high in the Valley, parents just keep their children at home.

DOLORES CASCALES

Woodland Hills

Cascales is a retired teacher .