Philadelphia School District Defends Monday's Early Dismissal
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Monday's forecast high temperature is only 85 degrees, but Philadelphia public schools let out early today, because of the heat.
Related Article: Some Parents Steaming Over Early Dismissals
When deciding to dismiss students early because of hot weather, officials say they look at more than just a single day's forecast.
District spokesman Fernando Gallard says Philadelphia's aging brick school buildings retain heat -- and a warm weekend can make for hot conditions at the beginning of the following week.
"The buildings will maintain the heat inside," he told KYW Newsradio today. "And we haven't a chance to open up the buildings and air them out. If this were to be in the middle of the week, it would be a different conversation and decision."
The district also dismissed students early the day after Memorial Day -- May 29th -- when the official Philadelphia high hit 92 degrees.
