Fifth period economics. Seniors. It was after lunch on a warm day.
Class started. I closed the door and switched on the air conditioner. But it wasn't clicking on quickly enough for Nathan. He got up and went to adjust the temperature.
"Nooooo!"
Sure enough, he had moved it down to 66°F, touching nothing else.
"No need to freak out. It won't hurt anything..."
And I growled. Internally.
A couple years ago, Ms. P told me of her a/c issues. It was one of those days where I saw the teacher before she left for her training or whatever. It's been a saga. She'd figured out how to make sure the a/c kept working, but eventually it did die. It has since been fixed, sort of.
The air conditioner warning remains in her lesson plan:
Having been in class when the a/c died by 5th period, I know she's not being an alarmist. So, I made sure to set the thermostat to 73°F (just to be safe), and I turned it off during passing periods when the door would be open.
Which is why Nathan's offhand comment irritated me so.
"Um, yes, actually, it might blow out the a/c," and I explained to Nathan why his thoughtless a/c adjustment could be really bad. "You don't want to lose the a/c before June, do you?"
Half of me wanted to let him blow out the a/c just to spite him. But it would have hurt Ms. P and the rest of the really nice students. And who knows when I'd end up covering that class again?
Close call...
ReplyDeleteYup.
DeleteSome of the schools in the San Diego area had their thermostats set digitally or electronically, whatever you want to call it, by the district office. That helped with issues like this. No one could "fidget" with them individually in the classrooms.
ReplyDeletebetty
Kids today are so different then in my day (God, I sounded so old then). But then again, we were different then in my moms day (and she is old)! lol....anyway, they don't get it, they don't want to get, they think they know it all and that we as adults know NOTHING! Keep on cruising on Liz, summer break is almost here.
ReplyDeleteYup, they think they're so old and have seen it all. As long as I don't buy into that worldview, I can laugh at them.
DeleteGetting older myself, I am awed by everything I don't know. And yet I'll still argue a position sometimes without considering the facts. ~snicker~ That's with my partner, though, and reminds me of a joke I just read today. "Make love, not war. No! Make both! Get married."
ReplyDeleteThat's like how some people will argue points that they really aren't experts in. (Such as someone else's name.) It happens.
DeleteSomething like that happened when I was in high school, although instead of AC it was heat in the middle of winter. So even though it's a slightly different situation, I totally get why the teacher put in all those precautions. Good thing you were on top of things.
ReplyDeleteKid needs a kick. I know if you put the A/C that low it actually freezes which blows the compressor. He needs to understand this and I hope you go through to him
ReplyDeleteI let his teacher know what he tried. That should take care of it ;)
DeleteWowwwww he'd most definitely get in trouble if it had been my school.
ReplyDeleteHe was reported. I don't think Ms. P was much pleased.
DeleteScotties USS Enterprise NCC 1701 sure has all the A/C systems working in tip top condition, of course whenever his bairns are packing quite a beating, time for the captain to know that the ship can't take much more hammering or she'll blow up! I can see why youre nearly fit to go up much like Scottys engines!
ReplyDeleteNow, it is a sad, sorry shame a teacher has to put up with a crap air conditioner like that. It "shouldn't" blow out anything. Freeze it up if low on Freon, but nothing more.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that the teacher has control of the a/c. When I was in school, the a/c was controlled by the building. I'm also surprised the kids weren't aware of the a/c problem. Then again, the kid could just be forgetful. This would be the absolutely worst time of year to find yourself without an a/c!!
ReplyDeleteEach classroom is self contained as regards the temperature controls (a/c and heat). Not sure if that's a good thing or not.
DeleteThe kid was in a semester course, so it's possible that the teacher never mentioned the issue. She might just have the "no touch" rule and he figured since it was a sub she wouldn't know the difference.
Oh man! My AC is a pain like that.
ReplyDeleteDisaster averted at least.
ReplyDeleteYeah, whew.
DeleteThey think they know everything don't they? Sometimes I wonder how I survived school with no air conditioning. We must have been tougher back then because I couldn't do without it now.
ReplyDeleteI think we were just more acclimated.
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