Baltimore closed its public schools Thursday finally, after forecaster predicted temperatures colder than its been in 100 years. That’s not surprising. What is surprising is that Wednesday, they sent children into unheated schools after the historic cold weather had arrived. At least ten schools opened late or closed early Wednesday because of no heat. Administrators citywide had been complaining. As the situation became known, a GoFundMe page was established to help keep the children warm. Aaron Maybin , former Jets linebacker is now an elementary school teacher in Baltimore, sent out a video showing the heartbreaking conditions. In a tweet he said “This Is Unacceptable.” He then set out to do something about it, after receiving so many positive replies wanting answers to the debacle. Opening up a GoFundMe page he wrote:
“We need heat in our public schools,” enabling others to donate money that will go toward buying space heaters and winter coats until the issue is better resolved. Baltimore City Public Schools are currently operating with an inadequate heating system. Students are still required to attend classes that are freezing and expected wear their coats to assist in keeping them warm. How can you teach a child in these conditions?”
They have raised over $25,000 so far. Schools CEO Sonja Santelises issued a facebook statement saying, “We don’t normally close just because it is a cold day. “But we also understand, and I hear people, that this is sustained cold. And nobody in this city, including me, wants folks sitting around in coats and in mittens all day for the entire day.”
Baltimore Teachers Union responded with a letter to Santelises which was more than furious with her assessment of the situation saying, “Your expectation that our members and the children that they teach endure bursting boilers, drafty windows, frigid temperatures in classrooms, and risk getting sick in these ‘less than ideal’ conditions, is utterly ridiculous.”
Editor note: These are not folks, these are children and they shouldn’t have to sit in the cold to learn sustained or not.
Wow!!
Former linebacker and current teacher Aaron Maybin decries frigid Baltimore schools: "This is unacceptable." https://t.co/2uDhdsHp4N
🎥: @AaronMMaybin / Twitterpic.twitter.com/p1QuLYYVhy
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 4, 2018
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