One student today in Newark, N.J., had a rash so bad from the heat in his school that he didn’t want to go back tomorrow, even though it would be his last day of school, The New York Times reports.
Many school buildings in the city are old and in a state of disrepair, but the lack of air conditioning makes 100-degree heat dangerous inside the classrooms, Chalkbeat Newark reported last fall.
New Jersey isn’t alone. The heat index is expected to approach 110°F on Saturday in Baltimore, bringing heat that once covered the Midwest to the Eastern Seaboard. Fortunately for students in Maryland, school is already out for summer.
An Excessive Heat Watch has been issued for most of the region for Saturday.
Dangerous heat is possible with heat index values between 105-110F.
Now is the time to make preparations on how to beat the heat.
Latest: https://t.co/codmeJ3Aqq pic.twitter.com/GR4KZeUEEd
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) June 20, 2024
In addition to the link provided by the National Weather Service in their X post, you can find information about staying safe in extreme heat from the Maryland Department of Health and the New York State Department of Health.
In New York, several school districts, including those in Rochester and Fayetteville-Manlius, have announced early dismissals and schedule changes to cope with the intense heat. For example, in the Fayetteville-Manlius School District, students are being released early on certain days to avoid the peak heat hours, and activities have been adjusted accordingly.
Legislative efforts are also underway in many states to address issues related to climate change more systematically. A new law in New York establishes maximum temperature standards for school buildings, highlighting the recognition of extreme heat as a severe threat to health and well-being. If the temperature in a room reaches 88 degrees, the room would be deemed unfit for occupation.
