(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE, Wash. -Instead of being at school Tuesday, 7-year-old Chloe is home with her sister and dad.
"She's autistic so she's a special needs child, and every day she's home is... worse," says Scott Gordon, Chloe's father.
Unfortunately Chloe's school, Balboa Elementary, is one of eight schools in the Spokane Public School District that doesn't have air conditioning.
"What's it supposed to be today, 94? Tomorrow's supposed to be 98. All the windows shut; hundreds of kids breathing the same air all day without any fresh air coming in. It doesn't take much to figure out that's wrong," Gordon said.
Gordon says that in conditions like these, he just didn't feel comfortable sending his daughter to school, which he thinks should have been closed. "It's only supposed to be until Thursday, you're only talking a couple of days," Gordon said.
Kevin Morrison with Spokane Public Schools says there was never any discussion about closing schools, and it's ultimately up to the parent to decide whether or not to keep their kids home.
"If they don't want their student to be in the school or walking to the school, by all means keep those kids home if you think that your air at home is going to be a better safe condition for the student," Morrison said.
As for Gordon, he just wants to make sure his little girl is safe.
""To risk their health? No, it's not worth it. It's not worth forcing them to go to school. You can't learn in an environment like that, so it's a waste and it's a danger."
The school district says they're working closely with the Regional Health District to continue monitoring conditions.