Extreme heat may have shut down some schools in Detroit, but students in Windsor are still behind their desks.
In the Greater Toronto Area, some parents kept their children home as temperatures soared, and the Toronto District School Board cancelled extra-curricular activities.
The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, the union that represents teachers at the elementary school level, is calling on the Ontario government to do something about the lack of air-conditioning in schools during scorching weather.
At Queen's Park, Progressive Conservative Party Leader Patrick Brown demanded a maximum temperature policy for schools.
“Humidex levels have been approaching the 40s C this week. Our schools don’t have the proper infrastructure or air conditioning. Students are saying it is so hot in classrooms, they are having trouble breathing,” charged Brown in Question Period. “This is unacceptable.”
In Windsor-Essex, heat is monitored by principals at both the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board and the Greater Essex County District School Board, and spokesmen for both say they can not remember heat ever shutting down a school.
"A school can only be closed by the Director of Education," says Scott Scantlebury at the public school board. "There is no ultimate threshold, but there are some considerations made on health and safety."
At the Catholic board, spokesman Stephen Fields says only one school called about the heat Monday, the former St.Bernard Catholic Elementary School, now referred to as the St. Theresa of Calcutta school community.
"They were just looking for a little extra water, so we took care of that," says Fields. "Principals are in constant contact with their teachers all day to see how students are doing; making sure they're not dealing with anything in terms of heat exhaustion."
Fields says extra-curricular activities at the Catholic board were cancelled Tuesday.
Both boards say although most schools are not air-conditioned, there is at least one room in each building where students can retreat should the heat get to be too much.
Scantlebury says parents are also encouraged to monitor weather forecasts, dress their children appropriately for conditions, and bring a water bottle.
Environment Canada says the hot, humid weather should begin to subside Wednesday as a cold front moves through Windsor-Essex. More seasonal temperatures are expected later in the week.
