Broken AC at Henrico elementary school raises health concerns among parents

A broken cooling tower at Fair Oaks Elementary School has left students without air conditioning for more than a week, prompting health concerns from parents as temperatures rise.

Henrico County Public Schools confirmed the outage and said technicians are working to secure a temporary cooling unit while waiting for a large replacement. In the meantime, the school is using fans and providing frequent water breaks.

The mother of a first grader said her son's class was moved to a different part of the building due to the heat. She fears the conditions could trigger severe health issues for her child, who has a brain condition and severe asthma.

"I reached out because of health concerns," the mother said. "Especially with his asthma, it really sets him off, causing effects that last weeks at a time where he will need to go to the doctor and see his lung doctor."

She keeps a bag of medication and equipment ready for emergencies, which she believes are more likely in the hot building.

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