Sick Schools, Sick Students: Why Our Classrooms Need an Indoor Air Quality Overhaul
17 January 2024 • Article Summary
neaToday: Is Your School Building Making You Sick?
America's school buildings are crumbling, with stale air thick with mold, chemicals, and viruses. Extreme temperatures bake classrooms, triggering heat exhaustion and disrupting learning. This neglected infrastructure is more than just inconvenient; it's threatening the health and well-being of millions of students and educators.
Respiratory issues, headaches, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating are just a few of the symptoms plaguing students in these unhealthy environments. The impact is clear: declining achievement, increased absenteeism, and disciplinary problems. Educators, facing similar health concerns and unsafe working conditions, are leaving the profession in droves.
But change is brewing. Teacher advocacy groups are demanding action, research is building a compelling case for change, and even some local districts are making strides through HVAC upgrades and air quality testing. Funding avenues like pandemic relief and collective bargaining agreements offer potential, but challenges remain. No national or state standards regulate school air quality and temperature control, and the immense cost of repairs presents a daunting hurdle.
However, ignoring this crisis is untenable. We must prioritize safe and healthy learning environments for all. Policymakers, school administrators, and the public must come together to demand improved regulations, increased funding, and proactive maintenance. Let's stop making our students and educators sacrifice their health for an education. It's time to give our schools the indoor air quality overhaul they deserve.
Read the article from the National Education Association “Is Your School Building Making You Sick?” here: