Isn’t That Someone Else’s Job?

Isn’t That Someone Else’s Job?

Usually twice and sometimes three times a day, I grab a dustpan and broom and walk around the cafeteria sweeping up trash, food, and other items to help keep the floors clean. I do a few laps around the 400 kids eating lunch and then return to my other lunchtime routines of taking the kids outside to get some sunlight and social time or eating lunch with students.

On Friday, a ninth-grade student asked me with a condescending tone, “Isn’t that someone else’s job?” I thought for a couple of seconds and replied,” Which part?”

Them: “What do you mean? ‘Which part?'”

Me: Well, do you mean the cleaning up part or the cleaning up after students part? In reality, we are paying someone to clean up after students who are not cleaning up after themselves, so if you are referring to either of those jobs, then yes it is someone else’s job.

Them: She, referring to one of our lunch custodians, gets paid to clean up the school, that’s not our job.

Me: You are correct that she does get paid to clean up the school, but she does not get paid to clean up after students. It is your job to clean up after yourself. So to answer your original question yes it is someone else’s job, but I care about her and want to show her that I care.

Them: How does cleaning up the lunchroom show her that you care?

Sidenote: I know you probably think what is this student’s problem? He is a great student, he is just missing the point here. 

Me: Well, she wakes up every morning at five and comes to school to clean the main offices, mine included. She dusts off the shelves, organizes my papers, hangs up my jacket, empties the trash, straightens by books, arranges my chairs, and sometimes cleans the inside and outside of the windows. I can say thank you a million times, but I know how much she cares about keeping our school clean.

So, I try to spend five minutes a day sweeping up the floor and putting forgotten trays away, so she doesn’t have to. We have never talked about it, but I know it means a lot to her. She knows how busy we are and when I take a few minutes to help her with her job, she knows I care.

Them: Like when I help my mom with the Laundry or my Dad with yard work?

Me: Exactly

Slowly drops the imaginary mic and takes the students outside.