Op-Ed: California makes it too hard for schools to shield kids from extreme heat
In a state where the weather is so unpredictable that some days a little rain can make people want to kill each other, it’s no wonder that California has the world’s most restrictive heat policy.
Not only does California have one of the most extreme heat records (of any state), but they have the most restrictive heat policy in the country. Every school district in the state is required to have a heat stress policy, in some cases it’s three pages long, and it’s usually something more extreme than you’d want your daughter to experience before she even gets sick.
It’s not the “extreme” part that gets me, it’s that these policies are so confusing and it’s very hard to get a clear read on the rules. Most policies that were approved by the State Board of Education are very vague.
For example, the California Department of Education requires a school district to have a heat stress policy that is “broad, general, but not overbroad” with “objectives that are specific and measurable to the school environment”, and “must meet performance goals for student health and safety…”.
On the same page as that, the policy provides an example: “All or part of the classroom will be heated to prevent a temperature rise of 10 Fahrenheit (5 C) or more. All or part of the school, including classrooms and hallways/alleys, will be heated to prevent a temperature rise of 8.5 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius) or more or a reduction in air quality of 10 percent or more. Both of these heat sources must be provided by the following sources: the power system or air conditioning/heating equipment.”
So, what exactly is “all or part of the room”? What does it mean to “provide” heat? What if a building doesn’t have any heat? How can a school district be responsible for heat for a kindergarten class and another kindergarten class?
Now, the California Department of Education requires heat stress policy’