February’s bar exam in California turned out to be a chilling experience for examinees as they contended with Arctic temperatures inside the venue. Hosting the bar exam, the Cow Palace reportable transformed into a “frozen hellscape” that left the test-takers bitterly cold and in distress. As famously shared by Mark Twain, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” Albeit this time, the frigid encounter was during the winter, indoors at the bar exam venue.
Based on information from Karen Sloan at Reuters, bar applicants recounted near unbearable conditions. As one examinee put it, “I was so cold in the morning I almost couldn’t type my fingers were so freezing.” Another bar taker, Deborah Tharp, recounted to Reuters of experiencing multiple muscle cramps throughout the day due to the cold conditions.
Tharp portrayed the severity of the chilly atmosphere, stating: “I could see my breath when I first arrived. There was ice in the bottom of my water bottle that I picked up off the concrete floor when I was done.” This led to worries that they could be disadvantaged compared to test-takers in more hospitable locations.
Meanwhile, the Cow Palace, recognized for hosting well-known events like the 1964 GOP Convention and the San Jose Sharks’ initial seasons, seems to add another layer to its notorious history. Many were left dumbfounded about the indoor temperature dropping below the regional 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit usual for that period.
Following the backlash, the State Bar of California issued a statement on Wednesday regarding its ongoing co-operation with the Cow Palace facility management to rectify these issues promptly. They noted that some test takers reported being cold Tuesday morning, but by the end of the day, some said it was too warm. There was no immediate response from a Cow Palace representative despite numerous attempts for comment.
For more insight, you may want to read Karen Sloan’s coverage of this incident as reported by Reuters.