It was a tough week in hot classrooms for many teachers.
A June heat wave prompted Anglophone South school district to send kids home early on Monday and Tuesday in places like Norton, Sussex and St. Stephen,
Fans and air conditioning units are not permitted in the pandemic because they could assist in spreading COVID-19 in the classroom.
Superintendent Zoe Watson said in the afternoon when teachers were alone in their classrooms, they could use fans.
“Often in a school there is a cooler spot where one can go. Often in our house we can go down to a lower level. Staff could move around and find a cooler spot,” Watson said.
Watson said there is no question “it was warm”.
She checked on three schools in Hampton on Tuesday.
“Hampton was tropical. My car was 30 degrees,” Watson said.
Bus drivers were encouraged to keep the windows down to keep the air moving.
Watson said ventilation systems are in place in about 75 per cent of their schools which keep air moving but do not provide air conditioning.
New Brunswick Teachers Association President Rick Cuming said hundreds of emails were sent in from teachers upset about having to stay in stifling classrooms after students were sent home.
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