Educators focus a significant amount of time, energy and resources on education reform, policy, and curriculum – and rightfully so.  But do they spend enough time and resources on the physical environment they are providing for our students?  Are we insuring that our students are learning in a sanitary and clean working environment?  And do parents feel comfortable and satisfied with the environment school systems are providing for our students?

To find out, OpenWorks—a leading national commercial cleaning franchise—surveyed more than 300 American workers aged 25-55. Here are just a few of the results.

1. More than 3 in 5 parents have ongoing concerns that their kids are exposed to germs at school.
2. This stretches further than the classroom, too. 50% of working parents surveyed pack lunch for their kids because they think the cafeteria is “unclean” and 1 in 3 respondents won’t let their kids ride the bus because of concerns that it is unsanitary.
3. Ironically, these same parents who voiced strong concerns about the cleanliness of their school environment also admitted to contributing to the unsanitary conditions in the classroom.  Nearly half of all parents surveyed confessed that they feel pressure to send their kids to school sick, and often do, because they can’t miss work.

This survey sheds light on the fact that the responsibility to provide a clean, germ – free school environment falls on both educators and parents.  Parents have a responsibility to keep their sick children home from school and educators have a responsibility to provide a clean working environment for children.

What can educators do to enhance the current classroom conditions, provide a cleaner environment for our children, and address the concerns of parents? They can partner with an experienced commercial cleaning and integrated facility services provider to clean up their schools.

OpenWorks, who has been partnering with schools for decades to improve the health and cleanliness of their facilities, commissioned the survey to showcase just how important it is for education leaders and school administrators to take cleanliness seriously.  According to David Bosley, OpenWorks’ Executive Vice President and lead contact responsible for the company’s outreach to school systems, these results generated by the survey should be a true eye-opener for education leaders who have a responsibility to maintain healthy learning environments.

“The survey shows parents believe schools aren’t making the grade when it comes to keeping facilities clean, creating unhealthy environments for students,” says Bosley. “We want to restore that trust by partnering with schools around the country to set up cleaning programs that are sustainable and affordable.”

To learn more about OpenWorks, please visit http://www.openworksweb.com.

What do you think educators and parents should do to keep their students’ learning environments clean?