Opinion
WTAE Editorial: Heat and keeping students cool
PITTSBURGH —
Pittsburgh Public Schools moved thousands of students to remote learning this week due to extreme heat, which made school buildings unsafe.
WTAE President & General Manager Charles W. Wolfertz III speaks on behalf of the editorial board.
School buildings can become much hotter than outdoor temperatures, with heat indexes reaching dangerous levels during weather like this past week. While ensuring student and staff safety is a priority, the decision to close more than half of the district’s schools during the second week of the school year creates significant challenges.
The closures have placed a burden on working parents, disrupted learning, and made remote education the default solution to what is described as a basic infrastructure problem.
The situation underscores the need for Pittsburgh Public Schools to develop a plan with clarity and urgency to ensure students can remain in school, even when the weather does not cooperate.