Students cleaning in the cafe?

[Nab4Life]

I clarified this with my Stony Brooker- and he says after he's done they clean up only their own personal area. They are responsible for clearing away their own trash and wiping their own table space down. He did say some kids try and skip out, but I guess that's only to be expected. This certainly seems fair to me.
Back when I attended Nab school, years and years ago- we used to have to pick up the playground trash and toss it out on the way back inside from recess. That could have meant anything from cigarette boxes to slush puppy cups, but we all did it! And Purell was still a glimmer in some chemists eye at this point.

[Tony1941]

Tony, You are missing the point. This has nothing to do w/being rich, wanting to be rich or sending kids to schools that cost 35,000/year. This has to do with students being forced to clean up after others who leave a mess. ...

All of my kids attended,at some time or another, attended expensive schools, Fenn, Middlesex, Cambridge School, Bishop Guertin (Cheap expensive schools).
Students were assigned tasks to clean up common areas. Part of the reasoning was that if every 3 weeks, you had to clean up a common area that you used then you would be more aware of the need of self policing.
The other policy common to these schools was that the school calendar was sacrosanct. The parents either scheduled their vacations around the school calendar or their offspring was asked to leave. It is not unusual for Westford teachers to be requested to provide lesson plans for a week or more, so the family can go on vacation.

Another way to think of the table clean up is that of building a sense of community or encouraging team work. For individuals who have gone thru military boot camp, it may bring back memories of either working as a team or suffering as a group. If your company mate was the cause of failing a white glove inspection, you and the rest of the company members would have one or more motivating sessions with the "guilty" parties and help them pass the next white glove inspections. If the company was on a forced march, the stronger soldiers helped the weaker soldiers complete the forced march. The alternative was that the whole company repeated the forced march. Somewhat extreme example but the concept is to build sprit de corp. Semper Fi.

[westford]

Tony, While your points are well taken, you are still missing the point here. You are brining up private schools, that for the most part are grades 9 - 12. Yes, I know the Fenn is grades 4 - 9. I worked at one the schools you mentioned & I can assure you students didn't leave all kinds of trash on the dining hall table for others to clean up. Most of the students cleaned up all their trash after themselves. You also bring up the military, I am talking about public school, grades 3 - 8. I am talking about schools that still have recess time and for good reasons those students should have the time outside. You haven't addressed any of my concerns. I will ask you a few questions and I hope you will answer them. Do you think students should all clean up after themselves, everyday? I do. Do you think students should miss recess to wash the tables which the lunch ladies are paid to do? I don't. Do you think students should miss recess to sweep the floor that the custodian is paid to do? I don't. Do you think that students should be given gloves to wear when cleaning, like the lunch ladies do? I do. Do you think students should be late to class because they are doing the paid jobs of the lunch ladies & custodians? I don't.

[Tony1941]

Tony, While your points are well taken, you are still missing the point here. You are brining up private schools, that for the most part are grades 9 - 12. Yes, I know the Fenn is grades 4 - 9.

There are K-3 schools.

You also bring up the military, I am talking about public school, grades 3 - 8. I am talking about schools that still have recess time and for good reasons those students should have the time outside.

The military teaches teamwork and responsibility to the team. I believe that the concept of teamwork has not been done away in the present Utopia.

... Do you think students should miss recess to wash the tables which the lunch ladies are paid to do?

The idea of having the lunch ladies to act as personal servants to spoiled brats is not one that I support.

Do you think students should miss recess to sweep the floor that the custodian is paid to do?

Definitely Yes. If we have more kids with highly developed sweeping skills, the US could be competitive in Curling events in the 2014 winter Olympics.

Do you think that students should be given gloves to wear when cleaning, like the lunch ladies do?

I don't. Gloves are expensive plus the exposure to bacteria and viruses will build up the immune system of the students.

Do you think students should be late to class because they are doing the paid jobs of the lunch ladies & custodians?

I would think students would improve their times in the sprint events, if they ran to class.

My philosophy of respect for people regardless of their life occupation is one that is not shared by many members of the new rich.
Your statements make it sound that the janitors and lunch ladies are a bunch of goof offs and should be treated as indentured servants.

Why not ask a building principal to let you function as a lunch lady or janitor for a week.

"Walk a Mile in my shoes" is a bit of advice that I received from a janitor many years ago. One of the best pieces of advice that I have received.

[westford]

Tony: The idea of having the lunch ladies to act as personal servants to spoiled brats is not one that I support.

Westford: I am not asking the lunch ladies to act as personal servants, I am asking them to do what they are paid for & cleaning the tables is one of those things. Why the need to call the students spoiled brats?

Tony: I don't. Gloves are expensive plus the exposure to bacteria and viruses will build up the immune system of the students.

Westford:There are plenty of germs at school without students being denied gloves to clean up after others.

Tony: My philosophy of respect for people regardless of their life occupation is one that is not shared by many members of the new rich.
Your statements make it sound that the janitors and lunch ladies are a bunch of goof offs and should be treated as indentured servants.

Westford: I never said I didn't respect people regardless of their life occupation. Why do you feel the need to call people "new rich" when you don't agree with them? I never said the janitors and lunch ladies are a bunch of goof offs and should be treated as indentured servants. You are the one calling people names.

Tony: Why not ask a building principal to let you function as a lunch lady or janitor for a week.

Westford: I was a principal aide in a Westford school for several years and cleaned tables daily. The students all cleared their own spots and before the next group of students came in, we washed all the tables. It worked well. Also, we were told NEVER to wash the tables without gloves for our own health as well as the health of the students.

I am suggesting the students at Day & Blanchard clean up after themselves and the lunch ladies wash the tables & the custodians sweep the floors just like the rest of the Westford Public Schools do.

[Tony1941]

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Westford: I was a principal aide in a Westford school for several years and cleaned tables daily. The students all cleared their own spots and before the next group of students came in, we washed all the tables. It worked well. Also, we were told NEVER to wash the tables without gloves for our own health as well as the health of the students.
I am suggesting the students at Day & Blanchard clean up after themselves and the lunch ladies wash the tables & the custodians sweep the floors just like the rest of the Westford Public Schools do.

Obviously our philosophies on life are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
I suggest that "We agree to disagree."

BTW I did not mean to disparage anyone by using the term new rich. I used the term "new rich" to acknowledge that wealth causes changes in a person beliefs. I personally would not mind in joining the new rich class.

[westford]

Hi Tony,

I can agree to disagree. I hope I didn’t offend you in any way. I was just trying to show you where I was coming from and I do mean it when I say your points are well taken. I do hope we can still have friendly banter on other subjects.
BTW your comments about the Olympics & sprint events made me laugh.