RICHMOND, Va. — Parents at Skipwith Elementary School in Henrico County say they are frustrated over a broken air conditioning system that has left students sweltering as temperatures climb into the 90s.
Two parents, who asked to remain anonymous, say the problem has persisted for months and affects multiple areas of the school.
"The office doesn't have air, the annex building doesn't have air, the gym doesn't have air," one parent said.
The parents say students have been visibly affected by the heat, particularly during afternoon physical education classes held inside the building.
"The kids have come home complaining how hot it was, especially during the late afternoon, when they have PE, and they're still inside doing PE, and it's miserably hot," one parent said.
The concerns are not new.
Parents say the building has struggled with climate control throughout the school year.
"All winter long, we had no heat. Now it's starting to get really hot... they come home red face, sweating, just miserable, and don't want to do anything for the afternoon, because it was so hot in there," a parent said.
Temporary measures, including fans, have done little to help, the parents say, in part because more students than usual are being placed in single classrooms.
"One classroom is being combined with another classroom, and then multiple classrooms are being put in this classroom, so I'm not sure how that's not disruptive to their day and to their learning when they're being shuffled around all day," one parent said.
"Fans don't really do much but push hot air around, and if you're already hot and sweating, it's not really doing much," another parent said.
The parents say Henrico County school administration told them months ago that repairs were underway and that a necessary part had been ordered.
They say they want specifics and want the issue treated as a priority given how long the system has been broken.
"They've given us the same excuses every time. They're going to have somebody come out and look at it. There's a wait list, there's parts being shipped in and out, but still there's no updates as to when this is going to be fixed, and it's just going to continue to get hotter," a parent said.
CBS 6 reached out to Henrico County Public Schools and was told by a spokesperson that the district is still waiting on the necessary equipment to arrive.
When asked for a specific timeline on when the part is expected, the district had not yet responded.
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