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Heat and Cleanliness Remain Issues at VCUSD Schools

I read with some amusement that VCUSD has filed an unfair labor practice against the teacher's union regarding the alternate day cleaning schedule.  I've been a teacher in Vallejo for six years and I can tell you that this cleaning schedule is a joke.  While I feel fortunate this year because I feel like I have a custodian who cares about the cleanliness of my room, there are times where I know he feels overwhelmed by the enormity of his job.  He does the best he can in an unfair situation.

The Districts alternate day schedule is not effective.  VEA has asked for and has never received any type of schedule to show when custodians are supposed to be in classrooms.  In the six years I've taught in my district, my student desks have never been wiped down. The only time my floor is mopped is during the summer months for "deep-cleaning". Classroom windows, whiteboards and the trays that I keep my whiteboard erasers and markers on are rarely cleaned.   

On Tuesday, December 19 th , I e-mailed Dr. Damelio about the lack of heat in my classroom.  Many teachers at my school site and others have had problems with their heat not working at all. Since the Thanksgiving break, my classroom has not gotten any warmer than 55 degrees.  Most mornings, my room is between 48 to 50 degrees. My students have had to work with coats, hats, scarves and gloves on.  In my e-mail to Dr. Damelio, I stated, “my students and I are trying to do the best we can in a very uncomfortable situation.  However, a freezing room is not very conducive to an effective learning environment.”

Not surprisingly, I never received a response from Dr. Damelio, but did get a response from Leland Noll who informed me on Wednesday that the heating issue would be resolved as soon as possible.  Yet, when school let out on Thursday, my room was still without heat.  A co-worker was at the District office on Friday the 22 nd and couldn't help but notice that their heat was set at 65 degrees.

How can we expect children to learn when they are cold, the floors dirty, and they see grime when they look out of classroom windows? Perhaps students will start taking education more seriously if we make the environments in which they are learning warm, friendly and clean.

The cynic in me can't help but wonder if this is another (underhanded) cost-cutting method the District is using at the expense of students and teachers.  I would like to encourage parents and the general public to come inspect the classrooms of VCUSD to see how effective this new cleaning schedule has been and see who has been unfair in this labor practice.

Sincerely,

Christal Watts