Speaking of turning up the heat...

(Chicago CBS News

How would you like to be a student at Penn Elementary School in North Lawndale as temperature rose above 100°? Penn is one of 238 Chicago public schools holding 56,000 students this summer, most of which have no air conditioning. Rahm Emanuel has touted a longer school year as his main reform initiative.

From the Sun-Times:

“The kids are miserable. They don’t have energy. They’re just slumped over on their desks,” said Penn principal Sherryl Moore-Ollie. “When it’s 70 out, it’s not bad, but once it reaches 85, this old building heats up and becomes unbearable.”

Many students were preparing to take the ISAT this week, including 53 Penn students who take the test today. Several Penn students were sent home this week suffering from physical symptoms of heat exhaustion. 

Parent LaShawn Martin had to pick up her 9-year-old, Anton Green, Tuesday, because he was lethargic and began vomiting. “Chicago Public Schools is putting these kids into very dangerous situations,” complained Martin.

Reason enough for the mayor to send his kids to expensive, air-conditioned private schools. Who wants to be around vomiting kids?