More Baltimore County parents upset by lack of air-conditioning
Anger over the lack of air-conditioning in Baltimore County high schools appears to be growing. At a recent school board meeting, a group of Pikesville High School parents and students came to ask the administration to consider placing small units in each classroom. About 45 percent of the county's schools are air conditioned, according to state statistics, the second lowest percentage in the state, just below Garrett County, the western most county in the state and one with the coolest temperatures.
Last month, a group of parents from Middleborough Elementary School went to a Board of Estimates meeting in Annapolis to try to block the county from spending money on a list of projects, none of which included air-conditioning a school.
Members of the Pikesville group said students were having a hard time concentrating and were suffering from asthma attacks. Parent Susan Waldman said in the first month of school her son had used his inhaler on four days and had to leave school on two days because the heat had triggered breathing problems. Jeff Jerome, another parent, said the school is hotter than others like it because there are black metal panels below the windows which tend to increase the temperature inside. "We have been taking measurements," said Jerome. On the days they measured, the temperature inside the school was 20 to 29 degrees greater than the outside air.
By his estimate, Jerome said, the classrooms are too hot about 45 days a year. Another mother said two of her children had to use inhalers during their years at Pikesville High School, but never before or after. Jerome believes that one solution, although temporary, would be to put in individual units instead of central air.
The school system is about to replace windows at the school when air-conditioning is needed more, he said.
Baltimoresun.com's 
