Today I take pen in hand to write and urge support for funding for school HVAC upgrades and make classroom temperature standards a priority before another school year starts in dangerous heat.
The side effects of our hotter planet are plain to see.
Last September, classrooms in Fort Collins, Colorado hit 100°F. In Wake County, North Carolina, a teacher's room was already 80°F at 7:15 a.m. and climbing. These aren't edge cases — they're what educators across the country are managing every day in the era of climate emergency.
The research on this is also unambiguous. A study in the American Economic Journal found test scores drop on hotter days, and a global study of 14 million students found performance improved significantly when temperatures fell from 86°F to 68°F.
Heat also triggers more behavioral incidents, increases asthma emergencies, and hits low-income students hardest — kids who often have no air conditioning at home either.
As an example, New York passed legislation in 2024 requiring action at 82°F and relocation at 88°F. Connecticut made school HVAC grants permanent in 2025.
There's a clear path forward. Back legislation that funds these upgrades and sets enforceable temperature standards so students can actually learn. Thank you.
First sent on June 13 by Mark
iMessage
Text
