MPS teachers return to school in heat advisory, many classrooms without AC

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee Public Schools students haven't returned to the classroom yet, but teachers have returned to set up classrooms and attend meetings to prepare for the upcoming school year. 

According to the district in a statement on Tuesday, 44% of MPS schools do not offer full or partial air conditioning to students and staff. 

Teachers will be spending the next few days moving desks around and preparing for classrooms full of students during extreme heat warnings in our area.

“I used to work at Allen-Field Elementary School for like 13 years. So, I know what it’s like working in the buildings without any air conditioning and it being really hot," said Helene Rondorf, who now works in a different role for MPS in an air-conditioned space. “It’s draining on you, too, when it’s so hot.”

At a press conference on Tuesday, Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association President Ingrid Walker-Henry said her union is asking for more federal and state funding to be able to keep things cool for teachers, students and staff. 

"The average school building in MPS is approximately 80 years old," Walker-Henry said. "It’s past time for the federal government and the state of Wisconsin to begin real and continued investments that will allow districts to provide safe and up-to-date facilities to work in.”

When reporters asked why the union wouldn't call out the district for putting teachers in a position where they would be forced to take PTO if they wanted to stay safe from the heat, Walker-Henry left the podium to meet with other district staffers. She returned to the podium with a response to the question two minutes later, stating that some teachers may be behind on setting up their classrooms if MPS delayed a teacher start date for the year. 

On social media, some people have voiced concerns with having teachers work in these conditions. Some people suggested delays, while others asked questions about where COVID-19 relief funding and money from the April referendum were spent. Walker-Henry said those funds went toward other necessary operations. 

"The safety and wellbeing of students and staff is the top priority of Milwaukee Public Schools, " said Stephen Davis, media relations manager for Milwaukee Public Schools, in a statement to CBS 58. "Yesterday, it was communicated with school leaders that they should check in with staff and make sure they have information about how to stay safe and healthy during warm temperatures."

When asked about state and federal funding and why it didn't go toward air conditioning for MPS, Davis said the US Department of Education recommended that school facility repairs and improvements focused on upgrades to air quality and student health supports.

Davis said MPS has investigated the cost to air condition all district buildings, and called the cost, "prohibitive."

"A current estimate would likely to be close to one billion dollars," Davis said in the statement, emphasizing that estimate is significantly more than the district received from federal and state funding. 

Davis emphasized that school leaders have the ability to shift operations to provide staff the options throughout the workday.

For teachers returning in these conditions, many want to make sure their students won't experience the same issues. 

"I certainly wouldn’t want the kids in the classrooms when it’s this hot," Rondorf said.

The first day of class for students in MPS schools will be Tuesday, Sept. 3.