AIBU to think school closures ignore parents' work commitments?

I‘m in Germany, where it’s been hitting up to 36 degrees.

Our primary schools have a policy for closing early if temperatures top a certain number. This happens every year, and whether through organising the day differently or cancelling the final lesson, school closes at 12:20 rather than 13:10, with children who can’t go home relaxing in a classroom for the final hour. The standard hour of homework isn’t given.

However, we‘re also better set up for impromptu closures (barely a week goes by without an impromptu later start). My 9yr old got himself to school for the later 08:30 start this morning and has been doing this adhoc since age 7. it’s also quite normal for kids to spend an hour or so home alone after school at DS‘ age. A lot of raising kids here is encouraging independence.

DD's primary gave us a choice. I do feel a bit bad she's staying as I have to work, but I suspect they will end up watching films in the hall (for some reason that's the only part of the school with AC).
What is more bizarre, is that DS's school with AC in about 70% of buildings, is closing at lunch. It's so they don't have to travel home in the hottest part of the day, but for those like him who have a short walk I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the discomfort of being home where I definitely don't have AC. He's 14 so can look after himself, but glad I'm around wfh to remind him to drink lots.

This was the temperature in my science lab at school yesterday afternoon at 2:35pm

31.5°C

There were 33 people in that room. Glass windows on both sides, flat roof overhead, windows only open 2 inches due to being on the first floor.

It was "only" 30°C outside.

What temperature is it likely to be on Thurs, when the forecast is saying 39°C outside??

There is no legal maximum temperature for classrooms, but the World Health Organisation recommends around 24°C as a comfortable upper limit.

My MAT has decided to close all of it's schools. Even if they hadn't, I would have had to take the day off, as my own DC's primary chool is closing (different trust).

If you are in a red area that means danger to life. Let that sink in for a second. You think teachers can really be responsible for 30 children when there's a danger to life.
What did you want the school to say in their message? Did you expect them to fall to their knees and beg for your forgiveness for putting your child's health first? Of course it's annoying but a lot less stressful than if your child became severely unwell and the teacher was busy with 29 other children.

Well this happens all the time anyway. Teacher's have kids that are sick and have to be off to look after them, or teacher themselves are ill. It's not unheard of.

If I've got a day off work in the sunshine I'm not sitting inside with my DD doing online schoolwork, we'll be going swimming and Paddleboarding in the lake nearby.

Fortunately I'm on a day off on Thursday which is the only super hot day forecasted where i am, so will be okay this time and also be able to take an extra kids or two as well.

I have no skin in the game here really - my kids school remains open (so far) and I'm WFH in comfort today.

But surely you must appreciate that classrooms are in fact significantly hotter than a room at home? For a start, at home in my little home-office I have closed the blind and curtain today after having the window open early to air the room. A 3rd floor classroom will be mainly glass windows, likely no/little blinds and windows that often can't open more than a few cm due to H&S rules. I have a fan blowing on me - most classes will have one fan only, and that isn't going to be doing any effective cooling for those nearer the back of the room.

I am also sat alone in this room. My kids will be sat in classes of 30+ in one room. That alone makes it hotter.

School is school, it is not a childcare provider that you can get angry with for cancelling a babysitting session last minute.

YABU

So what happens to all the kids that you are meant to be teaching then?

You can. If your child is off you have to stay off too, that's just parenting.

There are plenty of kids live if flats with much smaller rooms and windows that only open a tiny bit

Our school have given parents the option to pick up at lunch tomorrow and Thursday, but school open as normal if you can’t/don’t want to pick up early.

People are still complaining about that in the WhatsApp group.

And if you can't? For example your are teacher in another school that's not closing?

It is childcare. Literally almost everyone uses it as childcare.

They not squashed into rooms with 30 plus other humans and windows that can’t open properly.

I can keep my 1 child cool in a darkened room with a fan and ice lollies much easier than a teacher can keep 30 children cool in a classroom that's hitting 40c.

no but the room I am sat in is a lot smaller than a classroom and i am surviving

Not likely their homes are air conditioned either

We need to adapt by installing air con and rebuilding schools- happy with the additional taxes needed to pay for it?

No they don’t. Unless you would prefer the per pupil budget to be spent on buildings.

We went to Malaysia on holiday in September - Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Langkawi. KL is between 22 - 32 degrees C the year round, and humid, with regular tropical showers. Local guides told us, there was no air conditioning in the state schools for the children. Going outside in Langkawi was like walking into a hot bathroom, full of steam, because it was the tail end of one of the two hurricane seasons. Admittedly, we were staying in a tropical rainforest.

I can’t see the problem here, where it’s much less humid, for healthy children and adults of working age.

Presumably there’s not 30 children in your home?

What do you suggest? When schools can’t afford basics such as glue sticks what control can they have over their buildings? Certainly there’s no money for air con.
I’ve taught in 6 schools. All of them were made predominantly of glass. Pop 30 children plus one or two adults into one of those glass boxes aka classrooms, there’s very little one can do to mitigate the heat!
Waiting to hear your suggestions…

Its just as hot in my home as it is in the school and I am sat here working so I really don't understand what difference sending them home makes.

Our school has said no uniform pe kit or any shorts and t-shirt and the usual plenty of water and sun cream

If you're in a classroom is it on the third floor with panoramic windows?