Denise Elsken, a Martinez Unified School District board member, made the comments at a March 30 meeting where officials voted to give air-conditioning to predominantly white John Swett Elementary over Las Juntas Elementary. There were only enough funds to install air-conditioning at one school.
“I really don’t care how this comes out, I would say 95% of the students at Las Juntas do not have air-conditioning in their homes,” Elsken said. “So whether that means those students are more acclimated and can handle a little bit more heat than the John Swett students, which I would say 95% of their residents have air-conditioning in their homes.”
Later, she said she would plant bigger trees at Las Juntas to combat the heat. Needless to say, Las Juntas parents were upset by the comments.
