Julie Panebianco’s classroom at Berkeley High School exemplifies a longstanding problem with high temperatures in the C building. Despite outdoor temperatures being moderate, her classroom reaches 85 degrees, and at times even higher, contributing to discomfort and reduced learning capability among students. The building's age and lack of modern insulation exacerbate the issue. Educators stress the negative effects of heat stress on learning, highlighting a need for updated facilities to promote a conducive educational environment. Current California regulations emphasize maintaining suitable interior temperatures, yet they lack specific guidelines for what that entails.
"It's just so uncomfortable and miserable," said Panebianco, who added she's observed students panting and putting their heads down. It’s not safe, not conducive for learning."
"The building is so hot because it was constructed over a century ago without modern insulation," according to Tobi Stein, a ninth-grade physics teacher and a vice president with the Berkeley Federation of Teachers.
According to Berkeley High thermometer data, it's been the hottest classroom at the school, with temperatures reaching into the 90s during the school year.
The California Education Code requires public school facilities to maintain interior temperatures within normally acceptable ranges, but it does not specify what temperatures are acceptable.
#education #berkeley-high-school #classroom-environment #temperature-issues #california-education-code
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