As millions of students return to classrooms across the U.S., extreme heat is turning schoolyards into danger zones. 🔥 New research shows 76% of students attend schools where concrete-heavy campuses trap heat, adding up to 13°C extra to local temperatures. In Florida, the crisis hits harder—with some schools hitting life-threatening heat indexes during recess.
💔 One Miami mother’s tragic story is sparking change: After losing her child to heatstroke during a school event, she’s now pushing for mandatory cooling measures. “Our kids deserve safe spaces to learn,” she tells CGTN, as schools experiment with shaded play areas and heat-resistant infrastructure.
But heat isn’t the only challenge—teacher shortages are leaving classrooms understaffed nationwide. 📉 From Arizona to Ohio, districts are scrambling to hire educators while battling budget cuts and pandemic-era burnout.
🌱 Why it matters: With climate change intensifying, schools are becoming frontline battlegrounds for student wellbeing. Could this crisis inspire greener, cooler campuses? Stay tuned as we track solutions in our Back to School series.
