The Impact of Heating on Academic Score in Baltimore

Imagine going to school and trying to pass exams and retain information without heat in the classroom; with freezing temperatures outside, and the classroom is just as cold. Living In the 21st century with the hottest gadgets essentially can do almost anything to make lives easy with a push of a button, like controlling the heat in a home before a person gets through the door. Unfortunately, most student are learning in outdated 20th century schools with broken boilers and pipes creating a long-term problem that many students must deal with. The pressure students face with trying to maintain good grades and pass state exams should never be challenged because lack of heat. For most students not having heat in class rooms is not something to think of, for some it is a daily occurrence. In the city of Baltimore, the students know this all too well when getting to class means leaving their coats on due to the freezing temperatures. Some classroom temperatures have plummeted to 30 degrees according to The Baltimore Sun (Richman, 2018). The city of Baltimore should fix the heating system in schools because it creates a poor learning environments for students. Baltimore is known as Charm city, with beautiful views of the National Harbor tourist coming and going and lots of delicious seafood it’s understandable why it is called Charm city. A stunning back drop quietly disguising its dilapidated school infrastructure and nowhere to placing the blame for problem.

The government is basically playing the blame game, Mayer of Baltimore says it’s the funding from the state, the governor says there is enough funding yet no accountability from either side. Regardless of the passing of the baton, something needs to get done to correct the problem. Baltimore has a history of negligence in funding for the school district and it seems like a broken record year after year. “Since 1972, Baltimore City has received more than $856 million in state school construction funds, about 11% of the state total and more than any other jurisdiction” (Ericson,2018). The million-dollar question is why is this still an issue if the funding is allocated? Flushing out the bad and replacing it with good seems like a good start to building a foundation for this on-going problem. According to Baltimore Brew, Maryland accounts 50% of state funding for their school’s upkeep while Baltimore uses only 11% for their school funding (Ericson,2018). It took a moment of a video on social media to create an outcry of parents, teachers and lawmakers however, this has been a constant issue for students for many years. Corruption of the city of Baltimore has taken its last breath in creating depleting groundwork and it’s time for change. These kids need the best chance at a good education without the system failing them in more ways than one. To believe that a student can concentrate in classrooms 40 degrees and below is mind-blowing. So many factors play into potentially weakening their focus like peer pressure, social media, and family; no heat in classrooms should not be one of those problems. Retaining information for is key, but when a child is trying to keep warm during a lesson it seem almost impossible to expect any focus.

A study done by students at west view high school, found that the temperature that students did best in was 72 degrees. It is believed to be the most comfortable and where students retained the most information (Temperature, n.a). For many living in the city it is hard enough, with rising crime rates, finding a way to target these issues head on is key. There are many states that have successfully managed to create an unbeatable system, they hold everyone accountable and Baltimore could really see how well everything New Jersey gets slammed with snow and plummeting temperatures in the middle of winter, to think of sitting in class shivering and depleted energy trying to focus seems impossible. This was what New Jersey believed needed to change, they decided to invest in the time to change things and get legislation involved. Since 2007, annually a bill is taken to be mediated for school districts to maintain proper maintenance on boilers and ventilation systems (Council, 2014). State to state laws vary from school districts however, the protection it gives is something Baltimore could potentially benefit from in the long run. Schools should be a place where parents can have a piece of mind and know that their children are in good hands. Holding school districts accountable in the upkeep would allow students to flourish. Although there is proof that these types of conditions in classrooms can’t be suitable for a budding child, some say that colder weather in classrooms causes better retention of information. Several states require certain standards to be met when it comes to school and its maintenance. Protecting children and keeping them safe brings peace to most parents, knowing they will be taken care of. Bodies can adapt to the surrounding weather, when it is too cold or too hot the body adapts efficiently. In the colder months the mind makes the best decisions because it’s clear headed and is not distracted by heat. “In cooler weather, you are able to weigh your options and choose the best one, no matter how cognitively complex the decision may be; in warmer weather, however, you’re more likely to take the easiest available route” (Ward,2013). Most people can’t be bothered to do anything when it scorching outside and most run to the nearest cooled room just to focus.

For many students in the United States, going through a school week with no heat seems like a cruel joke, however for the students in Baltimore city this is reality. The belief that students deserve the best and fixing the infrastructure is necessary. Forcing these students to attend a school that is not only failing them academically but also neglecting the basic needs for them is setting them up to fail. While on a routine visit in Baltimore, NBA player Torrey Smith heard over a loud speaker a staff member announcing “Don’t let us not having heat stop you from coming to school tomorrow” (Richman, 2018). The best way to cause a chain reaction is to get rid of the corruption, and start there. Creating hope and longevity for the future of our students. The city of Baltimore should fix the heating systems in these schools doing so insures the future of these kids education and it a perfect start to lead them in the right direction.