INDIANAPOLIS -- More than 600 middle school students had to sit through 90-degree heat on Monday after sweating it out at their school because the air conditioners are broken.
The HVAC system at Raymond Park Middle School was supposed to be fixed in April - when there's typically no need for heat or air conditioning - but the freezing temperatures last month delayed the work.
For now, administrators are setting up fans and moving classes into cooler, lower-level rooms. They've also eased up the dress code to allow students to wear comfier clothing.
They're also urging students to stay hydrated with water bottles from home and to remember to wear deodorant.
Sixth-grader Lily Merriman says it was so hot in the school that one of her classmates got sick.
"I turned around and there was this kid, he was throwing up in the trashcan," said Lilly. "It was a good thing that he made it but he was throwing up in the trashcan because he was too hot."
A spokesperson for Warren Township Schools says the repairs now are underway to the schools HVAC system but they could take several weeks.
"I can't even imagine what kind of learning they're doing in 90 even 100-degree temperatures," said mother Chelsea Merriman. "The school was not made for no AC. So the windows are small. The class did retreat it downstairs where it was cooler but it was still scorching hot."
The last day of school for Raymond Park Middle School students is June 4.
Warren Township Schools released the following statement:
"The safety and well-being of our students and staff at Raymond Park Intermediate Academy and Middle School is our top priority as we work through the above normal temperatures this month. We have taken several steps to provide more comfort for students and staff including; flexibility with dress code, providing water stations throughout the school, allowing students to carry water bottles during the school day, placing fans in classrooms and hallways, and moving students to cooler locations in the school. We will closely monitor the weather forecast for the remainder of the school year and make any necessary changes to ensure our students and staff are safe and as comfortable as possible."
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