'So teachers can top up their sun tans' - Black Country residents debate school closures due to extreme heat
A number of schools across the region will be closed or operating in alternative hours due to a red weather warning issued by the Met Office.
Some schools in the Black Country have announced changes to their hours or complete closures due to extreme hot weather forecast this week - but not everyone agrees with the decision.
Yesterday, the Met Office has issued a rare Red Extreme Heat Warning for this week, alongside Amber warnings from Monday through Thursday across much of southern and central England and Wales.
Temperatures are set to climb from around 34°C on Monday (June 22) to a peak of at least 39°C on Wednesday (June 24) and Thursday (June 25), with the potential to break June’s all-time UK daily temperature record.
Wood Green School in Wednesbury has announced it will close for two days and two schools in Kidderminster and Bewdley have said they will close early - sparking a debate among Black Country residents.
Some Express & Star readers agreed that the weather poses a risk to health, with one reader writing: “Yes. Most classrooms are just windows all round so it'll be like sitting in a green house all day, I dont know about all schools but my kid's school, they dont have air-conditioning and only 1 fan for a class of 30ish kids.”
Another added: “I think they should do half days at least,” while a third commented: “Yes, considering they shut when its freezing cold?”
A fourth wrote: “Need to install air con now in all schools, this country is getting hotter.”
However, others argued that a bit of heat is no reason for children to be missing out on school time - with some saying it was just an excuse for teachers to get the day off. One user said: “It’s just so the teachers can top up their ‘suntans’.”
A second argued: “No when kids leave school and hit the real world they will still have to work etc in the various temperatures.” Another wrote: “No get on with it like we had to as kids!”
A fourth wrote: “Poor little snowflakes to hot we managed to cold they don’t go in unbelievable.”
Others argued that if schools close “parents should get paid leave” from work for it also.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!
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