CENTRAL VALLEY – The conditions were hot at Monroe-Woodbury Middle School on Monday, and it will get even more uncomfortable for students throughout the Mid-Hudson this week with temperatures expected to hover around the 90s.
With a heat wave looming, Senator James Skoufis (D, Cornwall) and Assemblyman Chris Eachus (D, New Windsor) announced the passing of their bill to establish a maximum temperature in school buildings and indoor facilities while in front of M-W Middle School. The pair were joined by Melinda Person, president of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), and other union leadership. The bill was co-sponsored by Karl Brabenec (R, Deerpark).
“Unfortunately, this is perfect timing,” Person said. “They are going to see this week when the heat exceeds temperatures that are safe in our classrooms. This is a safety issue. Some people have said the kids can suffer through the few days (of heat) because it will only be temporary. I would invite said administrators to turn their air conditioning off this week in solidarity with our students across the state.”
While the state has long imposed a minimum temperature in school buildings, this legislation caps a maximum safe temperature for students and faculty. Skoufis said the bill establishes two thresholds for schools to deal with the heat. At 82 degrees, a school must take measures to cool down a classroom(s), including opening windows, turning on a fan or air conditioner, or turning off the lights. If the temperature reaches 88 degrees, students must be moved to a cooler space or another classroom.
“This is about creating spaces conducive to learning,” Skoufis said. “You can’t learn if it is 95 degrees. It becomes unsafe when it gets to a certain temperature in our classrooms. If central air conditioning is cost-prohibitive, there is nothing mandatory in this bill that says the cooling must be central air. It could be wall units such as the ones here at Monroe-Woodbury Middle School. They cost $95.”
If Governor Hochul signs the legislation, it will go into effect on September 1, 2025.
“This is personal to me. I spent 40 years in these classrooms (as a teacher),” Eachus said. “We have a study that shows our state testing scores are affected by heat. This should have been done a long time ago. We are not demanding administrators to put in air conditioners, we are asking them to make accommodations.”
