IN SUPPORT OF REGULATING THE TEMPERATURE IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS

WHEREAS, school building temperature plays a critical role in creating optimal teaching and learning conditions and, conversely, excessive heat or inadequate heat creates an environment that stifles the educational process; and

WHEREAS, the American Federation of Teachers stands with the Baltimore Teachers Union whose concern for student safety helped temporarily close several schools in January 2018 when temperatures were dangerously low, and, we are aware that many schools around the nation similarly struggle with maintaining humane temperatures in the winter and summer; and

WHEREAS, during the late spring and summer, many schools become so hot they may become dangerous, particularly for those adults and students with pre-existing medical conditions, and many states have still not enacted legislation limiting the highest temperatures allowed in classrooms, the absence of which fails to conform with national guidelines:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers will encourage affiliates to pressure state lawmakers to enact legislation ensuring that temperatures within our schools conform to the recommendations of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration for indoor temperatures and humidity during all hours in which students and faculty and staff are in the building; and

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers will advocate to have the states craft guidelines detailing the process and procedures for closing schools that cannot maintain safe temperatures for teachers and students.