Should I send my kid to school in a heat wave? Many parents don't have a choice

CBC

7 hours ago

Temperatures are scorching. Classrooms are sweltering. And among parents, a popular topic of conversation: should I send my kids to school?
Health experts have repeatedly cautioned that children are more sensitive to extreme heat, and with most schools facing cooling problems, some parents opt to keep their children home on sweltering days. Some teachers even unofficially suggest it, noting in online forums there's little they can do to keep kids comfortable in classrooms that aren't air conditioned.
But for many parents, it's not an option.
"I'm definitely worried about them," said Ottawa mom Katie Gibbs about her children.
When temperatures in Ottawa Monday soared to 35 C (46 with the humidex), Gibbs kept Ben, 9, and Ellie, 5, home from school. She and her husband have hybrid work models, so with some flexibility and a little time off, Gibbs said she was able to manage it for the day — although it "was not ideal."
But with busier workdays Tuesday, Gibbs, 41, says she and her husband had no choice but to send the kids to their school in central Ottawa, where she says the principal's office and library are air conditioned, but little else. And her son is in a portable — which is supposed to be air conditioned, she said, but the unit is broken.
"It's literally an oven. It's so hot," Gibbs told CBC News.
"I can't imagine that there's possibly any learning going on in that kind of environment, and there's the real risk for harm."
Heat dome hangs over Ontario and Quebec
A heat dome lingering over much of Ontario and Quebec has caused temperatures to soar into the 30s and humidex values to rise into the 40s — drawing renewed attention to the cooling challenges faced by schools.
By Tuesday, Environment Canada had issued extreme heat alerts for a swath of cities as far west as Sault St. Marie, Ont., all the way down to Windsor, Ont., across the GTA and east to Ottawa, and into Montreal, Quebec City and Sherbrooke, Que.
Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal are expecting daytime highs of 30 to 35 C, with humidex values of 40 to 45, according to Environment Canada. Much of Nova Scotia was under a heat advisory, as well, with the temperature in Halifax expected to reach 31 C Tuesday with a humidex near 40.
Although Quebec's English school boards wrapped up their year on Friday, French boards decided to extend into this week due to snow-day closures last winter. Given the extreme heat predicted for the next few days, however, "If schools need to be closed, do it," Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville said on social media on Sunday.
On Monday, several Quebec boards announced schools would be closed due to extreme heat. (Tuesday was a national holiday in the province).
The Toronto District School Board warned Sunday that, as many of its schools are only partially air conditioned or have none at all, "the extreme heat will result in uncomfortable conditions." The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board noted on its website that "extreme heat can create challenging learning and working conditions for students and staff."
In London, Ont., the Thames Valley District School Board issued a similar warning and, like several other school boards CBC News checked, added that it typically doesn't close its schools during extreme heat.
"This would be a challenging situation for families, who may struggle to find last-minute child care for their children."
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Extreme heat dangerous for kids
Extreme heat is especially dangerous for young children, notes Health Canada, putting them at increased risk for heat stroke, heat exhaustion, fainting, swelling of the hands, feet and ankles, heat rash and muscle cramps.
In April, the Canadian Partnership for Children's Health and Environment (CPCHE), a national umbrella group, highlighted the impacts of extreme heat for children in learning environments like schools. Canadian schools — many of which are aging and lack cooling infrastructure — are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat events, the report said.
When indoor temperatures climb past the recommended maximum of 26 C, there are increased health risks, which can impact children quickly, the CPCHE wrote. And extreme heat amplifies social inequities, the report explained, with children in under-served communities often having less access to air conditioning at school and at home.
"This isn't just about comfort," CPCHE executive director Erica Phipps said in a news release.
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Extreme heat, like what's being felt in much of Central Canada, is more than just uncomfortable. It can also be dangerous because of the strain it causes on the body to attempt to cool down.
'Shouldn't be shamed or belittled'
Meanwhile, what measures parents and teachers should take during the extreme heat is a popular topic on the social media platform Reddit. On the Ontario Teachers subreddit Sunday, some commented that if parents are able to keep their kids home, they should.
"There's almost nothing we can do to make them comfortable and it sucks," wrote one teacher.
Others acknowledged it isn't always possible.
"Not every parent has the option to keep their kid home and they shouldn't be shamed or belittled for sending their kid to school (especially if there is short notice and not enough time for them to make arrangements)," commented a teacher.
"So many parents would love to keep their kids home but can't afford to take a sick day to do so," added another.
Gibbs, in Ottawa, says that last year, the parent council at her children's school offered to buy portable air conditioning units for the school. The principal told them it wasn't a viable option, Gibbs said.
It's frustrating, she said, but noted that parent-funded air conditioning isn't the answer, anyway.
"We're in a different climate than we were decades ago when these schools were built. I think at this point we need to have a maximum indoor air temperature that is simply not permitted," Gibbs said.
"The province needs to fund air conditioning for the schools and not let our kids cook each June."