The School's Temperature needs to be Risen

During the start of the year, the school has always felt colder. It didn’t seem to matter during that time frame because the sun was out, causing the temperature to rise. However, now that Ohio is falling into the cold-weathered seasons, the school being cold isn’t exactly ideal. 

Now that it’s fall in Ohio, the weather has drastically changed from a warm, sunny feel, to a cold and chilly air. Considering this change in weather, the school’s temperature doesn’t seem to have reciprocated. Often, students may be seen shivering during class or having their hands in their pockets to keep warm. Is that really what should be happening? Sophomore student, Charlotte Varkala, claims, “It’s way too cold. Usually, I’m shivering during class.” Students should be focused on their school and the work they were given, not focused on keeping themselves warm. An article written by “California Casualty,” an insurance company that specializes in the field of education, says, “If the classroom is too cold, it can cause you to lose focus as your mind constantly interrupts you with thoughts about the discomfort. The effects on learning are real, too.” Students as a whole already tend to lose focus during their time at school, but if they’re losing even more of that focus due to the school's temperature, something needs to be fixed. 

Although the school should be warmer, it shouldn’t be too hot. According to “California Casualty,” it’s stated that the temperature of a school truly matters when it comes to test scores: “Temperatures that are too high or low contribute to lower test scores, decrease in memory, and lack of energy.” Considering students wear sweatshirts, sweaters, and warmer clothes in general during the winter season, the school shouldn’t be too warm. If the school happens to have a higher temperature, students may overheat due to their warm clothes mixing with the high temperatures. NBC News, a division of the American broadcast TV network, states, “In one study published in 2020, researchers found that ‘students who experience hotter temperatures during the school year before their exams exhibit reduced learning’ and that students scored lower with each additional day of temperatures around 80 degrees or above.” Both quotes agree that the temperature of a school cannot be too warm. But, how warm is too warm? SitelogIQ, a planning, designing, and management company that is dedicated to creating well-planned work environments explains, “...the ideal temperatures to help students learn in reading and math classes is anywhere between 68 and 74°F.” Although this only covers math and reading classes, it’s most likely to be very similar to other classes students may take at school. 

Considering both arguments, the school should be kept at a temperature between 68-74 degrees. It gives students enough of a comfortable climate for them to be able to focus on their work, instead of focusing on keeping warm during the school day. Although Ohio’s temperatures are always different, the school being kept at a constant temperature year-round gives the students and staff enough time to get used to that condition. In the end, 

Written By: Maddie Mink