HOUSTON – Students at Wheatley High School are expressing their discomfort with the extreme heat inside the building, claiming it’s hotter indoors than outdoors.
With no air conditioning, students say it’s challenging to concentrate on their studies.
Kendrell Birdsong, a student, shared his experience: “It was real humid. In one of the classes I was in, it was 90.”
Birdsong added, “I really couldn’t focus because it was so hot, so I had to pull my shirt up a little bit because it was so humid in there.”
He noted that condensation on the floor made it slippery, raising safety concerns in the learning environment. According to students, the principal appears unfazed by the situation.
An email attributed to him states, “Our campus is experiencing issues with the HVAC system. Students are safe, and our district HVAC team is working quickly to address the issue. There is no need to pick your students up early, as we have taken all necessary measures to ensure a conducive learning environment.”
Despite the heat, some students were seen wearing hoodies, a trend among teenagers. They typically find the school cold, but that was not the case on this day.
A Johnson Controls truck, an HVAC company, was spotted on campus, but it remains unclear when the air conditioning will be restored. One parent reported having to pick up her sister, an 11th grader, early from school due to feeling unwell. Both sisters believe the lack of air conditioning contributed to her discomfort.
Briah Walker, the sister of the 11th grader, described what she saw at the campus.
“When I first walked in, I initially didn’t notice anything, but after I waited a couple of minutes for my sister to come out, I noticed that they had a couple fans out,” Walker said. “She was like, ‘Oh yeah, you know you can just push the fan towards you.’ Then I looked over to a room and I saw a bunch of teachers in there just fanning themselves. She didn’t really mention what was going on, but I was just like, I feel like we’re outside.”
As the situation develops, students and parents alike are hoping for a swift resolution to the HVAC issues at Wheatley High School.
