High temperatures: GEW and students demand more heat protection in classrooms

Following a summer of high temperatures, educators and students in the German state of Hesse are demanding improved heat protection measures in school buildings. The head of the Education and Science Workers' Union (GEW) in Hesse, Thilo Hartmann, criticized the absence of systematic efforts to address the issue.

"There have been no systematic efforts for better heat protection in Hessian schools so far," Hartmann stated. He pointed out that a statewide guideline for school construction, which would regulate building standards specifically for heat protection, does not exist. This lack of a unified approach leaves schools vulnerable to extreme heat.

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There have been no systematic efforts for better heat protection in Hessian schools so far.

Laurenz Spies, the state student representative, echoed these concerns, highlighting that reports of overheated classrooms are no longer isolated incidents. "Reports of severely heated classrooms are by no means isolated cases anymore," Spies said. He shared personal experience of witnessing temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius in a classroom at his own school, a situation mirrored by accounts from other schools.

High temperatures in classrooms significantly reduce students' concentration and performance. Furthermore, they can lead to health problems such as headaches, exhaustion, and circulatory issues. The union and students are urging for concrete measures to ensure a healthier learning environment, especially during increasingly hot summers.

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Reports of severely heated classrooms are by no means isolated cases anymore.