Thursday, May 17, 2007

Comfort and Discomfort in School - by Priyanka





Shivering from the cold in one classroom and sweating from the high temperature in another, how many times have you been in this situation? Our school, Francis C. Hammond, should get more control over the air conditioning and heat systems in the school, and I'm sure you would agree. Students and teachers develop stress from the inappropriate temperatures in the rooms and there is a slight chance for students and adults/teachers to get hypothermia to who are exposed to cold temperatures. After taking a survey of team 7-2 in Francis C. Hammond Middle School we came to know that 49% kids think that the school doesn’t control the heating and air conditioning systems, and 73% of the kids are uncomfortable in school because of the temperatures in the classrooms.
Teachers and students can get sick because of the inappropriate temperatures in the different classrooms. That can happen when they walk out of a classroom that is cold and then they enter a classroom that is really hot. It’s hard for the body to adapt to the rapid change of temperatures in the classrooms, so you end up getting sick. We came to know that 74% of the kids in team 6-2 wear jackets to class because it’s too cold and 41% of the kids feel uncomfortable 3 times in a typical week.

The inappropriate temperatures in the classrooms can lead adults and teachers to develop hypothermia. db=dictionary&q=hypothermia) Another type of hypothermia is/are heat strokes. Different from heat cramps and heat fatigue, what are two less-severe forms of hypothermia, heat stroke is a factual medical crisis that can be deadly if not correctly and quickly treated.

It's evident that the school should get more control over the air conditioning and heat systems in the school. It is also evident that our lives are being endangered because of the inappropriate temperature in the classrooms 69% kids in team 7-2 think that they will learn better if the temperatures are comfortable in the school. The next time you’re freezing from the cold in a classroom or sweating from the high temperature in another classroom, remember how much danger you are in because of the school’s lack of control on the air conditioning and heat systems in the school.