City of Baltimore and Baltimore County public school students are still going to school in buildings without air conditioning. The school buildings are old, and in some cases have been renovated to have lower ceilings and new windows that only partially open. Here is a Baltimore Sun article about the public schools in Maryland without air conditioning.
The Maryland public school construction funding process regulations did not allow State funds to be used for window air conditioners. So, the Board of Public Works (Hogan/Franchot/Kopp) changed the rule so that State funds could be used to purchase window unit air conditioners.
Last week, in a behind closed doors legislative Conference Committee, 10 legislators met to finalize the Capital Budget. In the process of finalizing the Capital Budget, these 10 legislators slipped in a little surprise. Without notice to the public, they inserted an amendment in the Capital Budget (page 9 shown in italics) that will prevent State funds from being used to purchase window air conditioning units for public schools this year.
Below is the list of 10 legislators and the video response from Baltimore County parents.
We previously posted Comptroller Peter Franchot's response to this amendment.
At the bottom of this post is the response from the Montgomery County Delegate who was on this committee and signed off on the amendment to block the window air conditioner funding, Delegate Aruna Miller. Delegate Miller responds that schools are only hot 2 months of the year and that the schools will get AC by 2021 anyway.
Gee Ms. Miller, I'm so glad to see how much you care about our children. So what if they'll be in 80 or 90 degree classrooms for the next FIVE years (that's when you believe that central air conditioning MIGHT be installed). I'm sure this will have no negative impact on the health and well being of students and teaching staff, not to mention their academic performance. I'd like to see how long you'd last without air conditioning.
ReplyDelete2021!!! You have got to be kidding me. This shows how callous Aruna Miller is. If you are in her district please make it clear what you think of her pushing this horrendous amendment. Her email is: aruna.miller@house.state.md.us
ReplyDeleteIt is so disappointing that Aruna Miller deferred to Keven Kamenetz's judgement. Ask someone else- ask some parents. Why in the world is he approving millions of dollars of contracts for computers for 6 year olds but he cannot find the money to match the state and do the right thing- keep our children and staff safe and cool in the heat. And all students are impacted, a hot day means all schools close.
ReplyDeleteNot OUR children, THEIR children. It's an important distinction.
ReplyDelete