Governor: Baltimore County must account for un-air conditioned schools

Gov. Larry Hogan and Comptroller Peter V. R. Franchot plan to summon Baltimore County leaders to Annapolis to explain why school children are still sweltering in classrooms without air conditioning.
The governor called the situation "absolutely disgraceful and unacceptable" and said "there's no excuse" that the county had still not installed air conditioning in more than four dozen in schools.

The pair said during Wednesday's Board of Public Works meeting that Baltimore County Schools Superintendent Dallas Dance and Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenentz need to be called to account.
The demand for a public explanation on why so many classrooms still lack proper cooling follows years of complaints from teachers and students. Already in this new school year, Baltimore County schools has three times shortened the school day or canceled after school activities to keep students out of the heat.

Fifty-two schools in the district - about 30 percent - lack air conditioning. While county officials say they have a plan to install it in nearly all those schools within the next six years, Franchot and Hogan say it should have been done already.
Franchot pointed out the county collected $27 million in state funds for school improvements over the past six years, and said the county could have chosen to spend that money on air conditioning.
"Clearly, it's not a question of resources," Franchot said. "It's a question of leadership, management and priorities ... They seem completely disinterested in dealing with this problem."...

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/bal-hogan-franchot-demand-explanation-on-sweltering-classrooms-20150916-story.html