After attending the PHIA meeting and hearing Kevin Kamemetz I was impressed even though I was not a supporter. BUT he lost my respect when he said the public schools only need AC 10 days a year. Anyone that deals with a non air condition school knows it is not just the days over 100 degrees that effect the air in the schools - humid days, days following a warm weekend and days in August when the teachers are setting up their class rooms. Ask anyone with asthma how it feels to work or study in a school without AC. I think Kevin Kamenetz should pick a non AC school and set up his office and than count the uncomfortable days.

The county's plan to spend money to update windows may also be a disaster in the making for a school that doesn't have air conditioning. Let's not forget that Ridgely Middle's school windows were replaced long before it got A/C (after a very long battle, of course). Unlike the old windows, however, the new windows barely opened more than a crack - which only made a hot building hotter, with less air flow.
As for Diane's comment - she's right on the money about how hot it gets for prolonged periods of time

Why is all of the money going to schools on the west side?

Are you sure that the money for AC is going to Pikesville Middle School? That school is air conditioned and has very few windows. Pikesville High really needs updated windows and air conditioning. Is this a mistake?

Also, I think that anytime that school is in session, AC's should not be turned on at the board of education.

Beares...rhetorical question my friend. I know all too well. He only has 3 more years to grease their pockets.

Hmmm, didn't Mr K have a platform item about air conditioning county schools? You mean he lied to us to get votes? He has no control of what is installed in his county schools? There are some really old schools here on the east side of town that are in desperate need of renovation and expansion....Why is all the money being spent on the west side of town? I guess he can't see the needs of the east side from his house.

As I understand it, Dumbarton Middle wasn't even on the list of schools considered for A/C in the future. How can that be?

Baltimore county cannot afford air conditioning...end school early to deal with the heat....

Gross mismanagement for a LONG time. BCPS has not been successful because of Joe Hairston; we've been successful despite him. We will spend millions on non-priority capital items, a bloated administrative structure, overpriced technology (by purchasing from his buddy's company), etc., etc., etc.

He's got plenty of nice new furniture and A/C in his office, but as soon as you criticize something, he tells you that you are a racist and that you need to read that god-awful book...

Unless you actually work in a school that does not have air conditioning and has old, faulty windows that don't open, and work in a classroom that has no cross-ventilation with an internal classroom temperature of over 90 degrees and a humidity level of 95% for days on end, then you have absolutely no right to make ANY comments against air conditioning in schools. I invite you to Lutherville Lab Elementary School on days such as these and have you do all of the physical things necessary to maintain a special needs classroom and then see how you like it.

What were Kamenetz's "not so veiled comments"??

The bottom line is that there is absolutely no excuse for these schools not to have air conditioning. I am willing to escalate this matter if others are willing. I would really like to see this issue be more visible in the media. Anybody have any ideas on how we can draw more attention.

I agree with you Concerned Mom. I guess Kevin K makes the final decision on the money issue, however, Tom Quirk could be contacted too (for Catonsville). Also, state representatives can be contacted. I'm not sure if the PTA is a way to go or not. The PTA may be able to rally parents on a larger scale. It would really be nice if the teachers and kids didn't have to go through another heat spell without A/C.

Come on people! The County is suffering very badly. Have you ever watched the County Council dishing out money for it's Projects around the Westside and its Perks for this and that! I think instead of private Companies making most of the money from Speed Cameras they should be managed by County employees,we should also put cameras on every road and intersections, this would increase the revenue.We should put our own Solar Panels on every light we pay BGE for ,cutting Utility cost.We should get rid of all the County Vehicles,Fire,Police,Buses that use fossel fuels and use Hybrids or Electric.Can you imagine electric and solar power for every County piece of equiptment !We'd be able to air conditon every school.If we don't do this I'm sure the Teachers Union will put a temperture clause in their contract.Am I being fictitious ? Completely.

Darrell, you are off the hook, The county has a hybrid fleet and it costs more because of the added pricetag and the extra maintnance they require. The problem comes from the leadership's unwillingness to cut their perks. A couple of years ago Mr K managed to get a bil passed to give the county exec a 100% pension after only 1 term in office, and the councilpeople get a 100% pension after only 4 terms. The next best pension in the county is the police who get 60% after 20 years. I wonder if the politicians pay into the pension fund.

Speed cameras are a big racket...how long did it take for everyone to realize they had to slow down to half a block before the camera then speed up again a block later? Sure there are less tickets being issued for the cameras now...Mr K, people in this town are smarter than you think...

Pastor Epps, I'm with you...Positions and services shouldn't be eleminated untill the leaders take a pay cut...they will try to tell you it's against the county code....well then write an ammendment to allow it! You have the power to give yourself a raise Mr K, you have the power to take it away too!

Mr. Jimmy, instead of repeating your lies, why don't you just get over the fact that your guy lost the election? There were no changes made to the County Exec pension, and he doesn't collect 100% after one term in office. You should be happy that you have a cushy job in the fire department and keep your lying mouth shut.

BTW, Mr Calmdown, I am not a county employee, just a conerned citizen. I tell no lies but it sounds like you have been drinking the coolaid. And if you think the firefighters have a cushy job, you are severly uninformed. They work in all kinds of weather, on holidays, so you can be home with your children Christmas morning. They have one of the most dangerous jobs, and more firefighters die every year in the line of duty than Police officers, who by the way, have a hard job as well. You sleep well at night because there are men and women willing to sacrifice their lives to protect your ignorant life.

Let's try to stay on topic please!

Neither police officers or firefighters are in the top 10 most dangerous professions as ranked by OSHA.
I think that is just something they tell their girlfriends.

Again, way off topic!

And, back to the air conditioning for our kids and grandkids, do you think this issue could be pursued by the PTA or is that out of their boundaries?