Why we can’t solve the climate crisis without schools — and teachers

By Sammy Roth, Staff Writer, LA Times MARCH 2, 2023

…I talked with Jeff Vincent, co-founder of UC Berkeley’s Center for Cities and Schools and another of the report’s lead authors. He told me that many of California’s 10,000 public schools already serve as community centers during climate disasters, when there’s nowhere else to go. Schools have served meals to first responders battling fires and storms, given people displaced by extreme weather a place to sleep, and helped heat-stressed kids and their families cool down — if they have air conditioning, that is.

It’s crucial, Vincent said, to make sure that all schools have the modern, upgraded facilities needed to serve those roles — and not just campuses in wealthier neighborhoods, where it’s easier to raise money for costly infrastructure projects via bonds.

“Other states provide more funding for lower-wealth schools to fix up their facilities,” he said. “California doesn’t really do that.”