Hot Regina schools a symptom of crowded classrooms and chronic underfunding, union says
The uncomfortably hot temperatures some kids are experiencing in classrooms are another sign the province needs to rethink its approach to funding schools, the head of Saskatchewan's teachers' union says.
Earlier this week, a Regina mother told CTV news that she and other parents are opting to keep their kids home from schools without air conditioning.
Samantha Becotte, president of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF), said fans and portable air conditioners could be provided to schools, but everything has a financial cost to it, which school divisions are struggling to cover.
“Through this chronic underfunding of education, divisions have had to pull from their reserves in order to cover the budgetary shortfalls,” she said while speaking to reporters on Thursday.
"The number of students in a class can also impact the heat in the classroom too. If you have 33, 36 or 40 kids crammed into a classroom, that temperature rises pretty quickly in comparison to if you had a reasonable number of students."
Becotte said while it is a hard situation to be in, she doesn’t see any immediate fixes.
“There are classes in schools where windows don't open or maybe there aren't windows and there's not enough airflow in the schools,” she said. “This is not a quick solution.”
Installing air conditioning in schools and maintaining school buses are big capital projects that would have to be addressed through operating funds, according to Becotte.
“But so many of our school divisions have depleted their reserves to the point where they are working budget to budget and unless it comes through operating funds, they're just stuck waiting,” she said.
“Many of those capital projects, they take years to plan, they take years to execute and put supports in place to ensure that they have properly supported buildings transportation units and that environments are safe for kids," Becotte said.
Hayden Topliss, a high school student from Yorkton, created an online petition drawing attention to the issue of the lack of air conditioning in schools.
"Honestly, it kinda started as a joke," he said. "Me and my buddies were sitting in ELA and it's super hot in the school, they don't have air conditioning, so I was like, 'What if I just started a petition?'"
The petition received over 700 signatures in less than a day.
"There are some kids in my class who ended up passing out and had to go home because it's too much," he said. "It is hard to learn and even the teachers are sick of it."
- With files from CTV News Regina's Hallee Mandryk
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.