Sanitary Conditions of your local schools

spike3315

8/5/2009

I am an elementary teacher in St. Mary's and I've been here for a few years. From day one, I have noticed how "clean, but dirty" our schools are. Each school I have walked in to (I've been to a few schools, but not all... and this argument is towards the schools I've entered), I have noticed the "clean" walls, "swept" floors, and "tidy" bathrooms. But look closer... although swept, the floors are littered with bugs. At one school, I found a black widow spider crawling across the floor. Kids are both fascinated and scared of spiders, but what about the child who loves to pick them up to put them outside? God bless that child in more than one way (for saving the bug, and for not getting bit). Also, notice the number of beetles and other insects... Don't let the fresh paint on the walls fool you either. Many schools have ant/termite problems that, in a few cases, have blanketed the walls. I've seen it first hand and it's not pretty. Another issue I have noticed first hand is the ever increasing mouse population. Too many times I've come into school and noticed mouse dropping littered on the desks and floors, or watched a mouse scurry down the hallway. What about the mice that get stuck inside the cinder block walls? I've smelled my fair share of rotting rodent as well. I understand the issue of using pesticides and other means to deter these animals/insects. But what of the other health effects caused by these bugs and rodents? Watching kids in school made me realize they are kids, and they will eat anything off the desk or even the floor (and we try to teach them the danger of this). We take extra precautions to clean our desks and use paper towels every time they are given food to eat. From what I understand, all these things pose a major health issue, but nothing is really done about it. This is not to complain about our building service workers, because they do an awesome job. Most of them are at school longer than the teachers, and they do deserve to earn more money. They help us when needed all the time (especially to clean the bathrooms when kids are not being taught well at home). Parents, exercise your right and go to school. See your child in the learning environment. Check out the rooms, hallways, and bathrooms. If you see any evidence of this, please notify the principals, or even the "higher-ups". These sort of issues should not be present as we become more aware of the infectious diseases, viruses, and bacterias that are out there.

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