Torrance schools air conditioning concerns are mounting after parents learned that classrooms at many local schools were reaching temperatures approaching 90 degrees during a recent heat wave.
โDoes it make any sense for a classroom to be 87 degrees?โ one parent asked.
Korean American parents and others expressed frustration during a back-to-school event at a Torrance elementary school on Sept. 10.
One parent said a classroom thermometer was approaching 90 degrees even around 6 p.m., as the sun was beginning to set.
โI canโt even imagine how hot it must have been in the middle of the day during the heat wave,โ the parent said.
The controversy comes as about three out of every four classrooms in the Torrance Unified School District (TUSD), where many Korean American students are enrolled, do not have air conditioning. Parents are now circulating an online petition calling on the district to secure funding for cooling systems.
Torrance Schools Air Conditioning Concerns Grow After Heat Wave
The issue drew heightened attention after temperatures in Torrance climbed above 90 degrees during last weekโs heat wave, accompanied by high humidity.
As more students complained that classroom temperatures made it difficult to concentrate, TUSD notified parents that students could be picked up early without being penalized for attendance.
One Korean American parent, identified by the surname Kim, said her child later told her that the classroom had been so hot that students were soaked in sweat and regular lessons were disrupted.
Complaints also poured into a group chat used by Korean American parents.
โWhen I went to pick up my child, I was shocked to find there was no air conditioning at all,โ one parent said.
Another parent expressed concern that the heat was affecting teachers as well as students and could interfere with classroom instruction.
About 75% of TUSD Classrooms Lack Air Conditioning
According to TUSD, approximately 75% of classrooms across the district currently do not have air conditioning.
Cost remains the biggest obstacle.
The district said upgrading aging electrical infrastructure and installing cooling systems in all classrooms would cost more than $520 million.
Earlier this year, TUSD surveyed residents about a possible bond measure to fund the improvements. The district ultimately decided not to place the measure on the ballot after determining that it was unlikely to receive the level of voter support needed for passage.
State assistance has also fallen short.
TUSD said it had hoped to receive support through CalSHAPE, a California program designed to help schools improve heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. But the program was scaled back earlier this year before the district could receive funding.
More Than 2,500 Sign Petition for AC Funding
With no immediate solution in sight, frustration among parents has turned into an online petition campaign.
A petition on Change.org is calling on the TUSD Board of Education to secure funding to install air conditioning in district schools. As of 3 p.m. Sept. 13, the petition had received 2,546 signatures.
According to the petition, many TUSD schools lack not only air-conditioning systems but also the electrical capacity and roofing infrastructure needed to support their installation.
TUSD currently serves approximately 22,000 students.
โAir conditioning is not simply about comfort,โ the petition organizer said, arguing that classroom temperatures affect the health and learning environment of both students and teachers.
The organizer is urging the district to put a bond measure before voters to finance facility upgrades.
District Turns to Temporary Heat Measures
With districtwide air-conditioning installation unlikely in the immediate future, TUSD is relying on temporary measures to protect students during extreme heat.
Schools are adding fans and rotating students into air-conditioned spaces where available. The district is also limiting outdoor activities and providing ice water.
For parents, however, those measures have done little to resolve the broader Torrance schools air conditioning debate as they continue to press the district for a permanent solution.
