Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio is announcing his efforts to continue to invest in 221st-century classrooms.

He expressed concern to Newsymom.com that too many schools have fallen into disrepair, and said “students can’t learn in schools that are crumbling around them.
Senator Brown noted that last week, several Ohio schools were forced to close early, taking away valuable classroom time, due to excessive heat and a lack of adequate air conditioning and modern ventilation in many older buildings.

He went on to explain, “Last month I visited one Ohio high school that is 90 years old, and has never been renovated. And unfortunately, we see the same issues in schools across Ohio.”

“We need to invest in updating our schools, so that we can not only be prepared in circumstances like heat waves, but also so that we can continue to prepare the next generation of leaders,” Senator Brown added. “That’s why this summer, I introduced the School Building Improvement Act of 2017, which would provide local districts with an infusion of direct grants and school construction bonds over the next 10 years to update our schools and create an estimated 1.9 million jobs across the country.”

According to officials within Senator Brown’s office, all of the school repair, renovation, and construction would be completed with American-made materials, supporting our local manufacturing and construction industries.

An added benefit per Senator Brown would include the support good jobs, putting Ohioans to work rebuilding schools with American-made steel, iron, and concrete.

Brown explained, “Rebuilding our schools has to be part of any plan. This is an investment that will pay off now, in the form of good constructions jobs, and in the future, as we better prepare the next generation of Ohioans for the workforce.”

Michaela Madison Reporting

(Photo, Sherrod Brown-Facebook)