Schools dismissing early due to...heat?? (Pittsburgh: universities, cost, gym)

[szug-bot]

I support this decision. It's all over the place - Baltimore, DC....school buildings aren't cooling down enough, like another poster mentioned.

I will concede, though, that the modern generation is nowhere near as tough as previous ones. This heat issue, though, is not a fair barometer of that.

[norcider]

I spent a portion of the summer of 88 in summer school, in a non-AC school. It was brutal. If anybody here remembers 1988 we had a terrible heat wave. Many schools are cancelled or having early dismissals in the Pittsburgh area today and I'm OK with that. This nostalgia, "we wore full wool suits to school in August" BS is ridiculous.

[Johnny C]

Everyone has missed the point on this one. It's not about older generations being tougher. It's about the temps not being significantly different or better a couple hours earlier. The logic is what I question, much like 2 hour delays for cold. It's dumb.

[PGH423]

Originally Posted by Johnny C

Everyone has missed the point on this one. It's not about older generations being tougher. It's about the temps not being significantly different or better a couple hours earlier. The logic is what I question, much like 2 hour delays for cold. It's dumb.

Is class outdoors? There isn't a perfect correlation between outdoor and indoor temperature. Indoor temps rise much more rapidly mid day.

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by Johnny C

Everyone has missed the point on this one. It's not about older generations being tougher. It's about the temps not being significantly different or better a couple hours earlier. The logic is what I question, much like 2 hour delays for cold. It's dumb.

but that is not a great argument. they HAVE to attend school, and make it an official school day. there is a middle ground between a day off, and suffering all day and not making efficient use of the time in the class, and that is apparently to have a short day.

i tend to avoid school-related discussions. for some reason, this topic has my interest.

[Johnny C]

It's dumb. I win and you all lose. I accept your apologies..

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by Johnny C

It's dumb. I win and you all lose. I accept your apologies..

lol

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Goinback2011

Where do the kids let out early go?

That is a good question. That is why my district does not do early dismissals, or late starts either for that matter. Parents need to make special accommodations for their kids. Some 3rd and 4th graders will be left home alone until the parents get home from work.

I don't have a good answer, short term. If the schools have any extra monies, I think they should invest in some room A/Cs or at least some big-time fans. Long term, look into A/C.

[PGH423]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I hate to do the old “when I was your age” thing, but what I hated about going back to school was that it was always 100-105 the first 2-3 weeks, and we had no AC. Still had to do PE, and walk to work and back. We all managed to survive, as did our kids until we moved up here to the Colleen NW. Back then there was not the same level of parental lawsuits, and there were no “Helicopter”or “Lawnmower” parents. Our parents wanted us to learn that life was tough, how to survive and compete and be prepared for adult life.

But you're not going to have a successful lawsuit unless something bad happens to a kid as a result of the heat. Maybe it's a good thing that schools don't want that to happen.

[corpgypsy]

Originally Posted by PghYinzer

I would assume it has to do more with the nighttime lows (if you can call them that). These old buildings are not getting a chance to cool down at all. Packing students into those buildings, they aren't going to learn, and there are going to be more behavior issues as everyone is irritable. The "we did it when I was a kid" doesn't hold water with me. Times change, sometimes we just know better rather than saying today's kids are weak. Heck I used to play real, old school, rusty tipped lawn darts as a kid. Would I let my kids do it now? No, because we know better not because the kids can't handle the game.

Well said!


My curmudgeonly 2 cent good ole days addition: We used to take road trips with our parents in that iconic wood paneled station wagon. 4 kids in the back seat with hard surface interiors and no seat belts....ahhh those were the days! Who needs seat belts? What? What's that head palsy, you notice?