Students Sweat As Air Conditioners Sit In New Jersey School Basement
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – Some students in New Jersey were forced to sweat through class Thursday, as dozens of air conditioners that were supposed to be installed are still sitting in the school's basement.
Rafael Cordero de Molina School in Jersey City let students out early because it was simply too hot inside the building.
"There's no A-C. No fan, well there is a fan that barely works. I was sweating inside," 5th-grader Sergio Sanchez said.
Although there's no air conditioning in the classrooms, there are reportedly 30 units that have yet to be installed by the school. Parents and students, who held a summer fundraiser to buy the new air conditioners, want to know what the school is waiting for.
"This is a concern now. That's shocking. So where's the money going?" parent Desmond Herod told CBS2's Crystal Bui.
"You want your school to be something you always remember, you don't want to remember it as a dungeon feeling... 100 degrees, not to mention it's just not healthy," Ben Torrei of BGT Enterprises added.
Torrei says he personally contributed thousands to the project and wants the money put to good use.
The school sent an email to parents Monday, saying the installation was delayed because they need more time to complete electrical and carpentry work.
The Jersey City Public Schools Superintendent's Office did not respond to a request to comment on the situation. Rafael Cordero de Molina was one of several New Jersey schools to close early due to Thursday extreme heat and humidity.