Originally published in print in October 2024. View print issues here.

Air conditioning is crucial in many classrooms, whether providing relief from toasty outdoor temperatures or providing classroom occupants with a cool draft, yet many on campus are expressing concerns regarding the uncontrollable temperatures in classrooms.

The air conditioning varies based on the buildings. The AC in the C, S and J buildings have a pre-programmed range of temperatures that they can be set to by teachers.

Plant Manager Verano Ramos, who oversees grounds and manages custodians, explains the district’s involvement with the air conditioning system on campus.

“We have the old [air conditioning] system here that’s individual to each classroom,” Ramos said. “The new building has [their systems] up on the roof, and they’re computer controlled.”

He says that the district only allows teachers two degrees up or down, and that the parameters are set according to the state regulations. These regulations range from 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit.

The newer system is based on these regulations, while the old system includes a wider range of temperature control in the classroom.

Not everyone is happy with the new system implemented. English teacher Heather Amantullah, who was previously in room 28 last year, moved to her new classroom in the C building, and expressed concerns about the restrictive system.

“I feel like I can never get warm in here,” Amanatullah said. “ We don’t have as much control over the [air conditioning]. It’s all over the place.”

However, the air conditioning is inconsistent throughout the C building. According to Amanatullah, AP English Language teacher Bobbi Arduini, who is in the classroom next door, has warmer temperatures despite having the same AC system and regulations.

Similarly, out of a poll of 40 students 32 share that they noticed cold temperatures in classrooms.

Furthermore, the chilly air conditioning might have other, greater consequences. Freshman Kailey Fu, who partook in the poll, explains how the air conditioning has affected her.

“I have a friend that said that she’s becoming a bit sick because she’s noticed a lot of colder air conditioning,” Fu said. “It’s kind of hard to adjust between very cold environments of the classroom rather than the outside [temperature]. It’s starting to affect certain people.”

Another student who partook in the poll, junior Tamar Maysel, also raised concerns about the issues the air conditioning caused. For Maysel, she is most worried about how the temperature could negatively impact attentiveness.

“If we’re taking our final exam and it’s freezing in that class, it’ll be really hard to focus,” Maysel said.

Ramos explains that in the future, this air conditioning system will soon be implemented into more classrooms as they are remodeled. As the district gradually replaces older buildings such as the K building, the newer air conditioning system with less control from teachers and students will be further reinforced in the Branham campus.

“It’s felt like a lot bigger problem,” Maysel said. “It would be nice to change it to a temperature that feels warmer in the winter time.”

Illustration by David Tran