Priorities?

[stevej37]

This past week the temp has been 90 or above each day here...very unusual for MI.

A good share of schools around here started classes on Monday.
Almost all that opened have gone to half days...going home at noon because of the afternoon heat.

The morning tv news announces the short days and always reminds the viewers that "All sports and practices are still on normal schedule"

Must be more important to keep the sports going?

[masraum]

My first thought is "what the heck, kids can play sports when it's 90." But at the same time when you're getting unusually high temps, those can impact people differently if they aren't used to those temps than if they are.

I guess most places up there don't have central HVAC?

Sports practice would be fine here in Houston in the 90s, but up there or in London or Siberia temps in the 90s would be high enough to kill people.

I remember reading about a place in Siberia years ago where when the temps get up to 35ºF, people get outside in shorts and t-shirts because it seemed so warm to them. Clearly, temps in the 90s would seem extreme to them just like temps tens of degrees into the negative would seem extreme to folks in south Texas.

[ckelly78z]

Regardless of how inconvenient it is for non driving students in band, sports, or other after school activities....SMH

[GH85Carrera]

I never went to an air conditioned school. 100 degree days just meant more sweat. I remember many test handed in with sweat drips from my nose and forehead on the paper.

Windows open only let in a little breeze but I never got to have a window seat, I was over by the hall and the teacher had to one fan blowing on her.

[KFC911]

I never went to an air conditioned school either. Would have been delighted to get out of school early .... we could have played basketball... outdoors ... on the blacktop all afternoon. And my college dorm wasn't either... I remember moving in during a VERY hot Aug ... meeting a lot of folks from up north for the first time....

It simply kicked their azz

[Arizona_928]

Strange that even today with hvac that they can cancel due to heat. In Arizona that would never happen.

As for sports instead of academia. Very common. Most grades now in days are pencil whipped. I've seen it first hand with high school kids so that they would qualify for scholarships.... big shocker when they fail out and lose scholarship.

[stevej37]

I have no problem with the half-day of classes....in extreme heat.

But why do afternoon or evening sports get the ok to continue? The heat is as strong or worse in the late afternoon.

[Arizona_928]

When the classroom is 72 degrees. Extreme heat doesn't mean schit.

[stevej37]

^^^ I'm guessing the classrooms that are closing early were built with the reasoning that a/c would never be necessary.

[mjohnson]

Originally Posted by stevej37

This past week the temp has been 90 or above each day here...very unusual for MI.

A good share of schools around here started classes on Monday.

Survivor ('92 grad) of a SW MI public school, Grandville if anyone cares. What's up with starting school in the hottest, most miserable, time of the year? Back in the dark ages we started after Labor Day and, of course, were still in school in June.

We lived. We sweated, but we lived. At least we were at the beach in August...

We were stuck in trousers, with no AC, because the teachers were all "we can't wear shorts - you can't either". Ironically that was usually spoken by someone in a dress.

Had more modern norms of diversity held, I would have loved a nice lacy sundress. I'd be "edgy" but at least I'd be better ventilated...

[stevej37]

^^^ 72 grad from the same area. Brand new middle school...no AC
Older high school..no AC and no windows to open.

Half days were never even considered for heat.