Reading, ‘riting, rodents? Tacoma Public Schools works to clean up ‘filthy’ buildings

Mice have been scampering around certain Tacoma Public Schools campuses, some teachers say, with the district supposedly suffering from “filthy” buildings.

Educators have complained of a lack of custodial staff during recent TPS board meetings. A letter campaign titled, “Tacoma Schools Are Filthy!” is circulating via the petition website Action Network. Some 280 letters have been sent in support.

Now the district says it is bringing on more custodians.

“We take all reports on the conditions of our school seriously and work to address those issues as quickly as possible,” TPS spokesperson Tanisha Jumper told The News Tribune.

On May 9, Penny Cramer, president of the Tacoma Education Association, told the school board about the need for better working conditions.

“Here are some areas that need some improvement: Ensure that all classrooms are cleaned regularly and free from rodent infestations,” Cramer said in part. “Guarantee safe drinking water in every single building, not just Birney.”

Some parents at Birney Elementary School, 7627 S. Sheridan Ave., reported brown water coming from a campus building starting in mid-February. An initial round of tests showed heightened levels of iron and manganese in certain faucets’ supply, although a subsequent analysis did not detect either, according to a recent update posted on Birney’s website.

Cramer isn’t the only person who has mentioned rodents during a Tacoma Public Schools board meeting.

On April 25 a teacher introduced himself using only his first name, Jeremy. The educator at First Creek Middle School, 1801 E. 56th St., noted during the public-comment portion that he and others had seen a major decline in cleanliness following winter break.

Jeremy claimed that “TPS was short-staffing custodial positions, to the point where often one person was being tasked with cleaning an entire building in one night.” He said this wasn’t only happening at his campus: Other schools are also “filthy,” he added, citing the Action Network petition.

“My classroom hasn’t been vacuumed in weeks,” Jeremy said. “Garbage and spills from a wrestling match were left in the gym bleachers overnight this week. Mount Tahoma [High School] has mice crawling all around it, and so much more.”

The Action Network petition states that the dirtiness of schools is not because custodians haven’t tried to keep up. Rather, it said, such employees are being “overworked” and have witnessed their overtime pay get slashed.

The petition further demands that all open custodial positions be filled and that custodians see their previous overtime-payment policies return.

Tacoma Public Schools is working to address the issue.

“All departments of the district were asked to do a deep dive assessment of their operations,” Jumper told The News Tribune in an email. “Hiring and overtime were limited while efficiencies and cost allocations were assessed.”

Jumper added that the district is in the process of increasing its number of custodial staff.

“Nine new custodians have been hired, 5 already started, 2 are currently on boarding and we have plans to interview next week for additional positions,” she continued.

In a statement sent to The News Tribune, Cramer with the teachers union said the district began bringing on more custodians after school employees and other stakeholders started advocating.

“Administration must do better to provide for the health and safety of our students,” Cramer said. “Once again this district’s administration has shown that it cannot accomplish its most basic tasks of providing our students with a safe, high-quality education unless forced to by public pressure.”