County Exec Responds to Hot Temps in Baltimore County Public Schools

Students in Baltimore County Public Schools were dismissed early two days in a row last week due to the heat.

And while the heat wave broke, concern about the lack of air conditioning in many county schools is still running high.

County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said he was moving “full speed ahead” to work on resolving the situation.

“Let me say to all of the administrators, teachers and students in our schools without air conditioning that I know it has been very hot in your classrooms over the first two weeks of school,” Kamenetz said. “Please know that we are moving full speed ahead to rectify this situation.”

Full statement issued by Kamenetz Sept. 8 about air conditioning:

Let me say to all of the administrators, teachers and students in our schools without air conditioning that I know it has been very hot in your classrooms over the first two weeks of school. Please know that we are moving full speed ahead to rectify this situation.

When I took office in 2010, 52% of all County schools did not have air conditioning. Knowing that wasunacceptable, I immediately began to resolve this issue by funding a $1.3 billion Schools For Our Future program, of which nearly $900 million, or 69%, are County funds.

Upon completion of this year’s funded projects, the number of schools without air conditioning will have been reduced to 20%.

By 2021, 99% of Baltimore County Schools will have completed air conditioning projects or will be programmed with funding in place, including every elementary and middle school.

The County Council has been very supportive and fully funded the County’s portion of our program. We hope that State officials will at least match us dollar for dollar so that we may expedite our construction schedules.