Articles

Straight Talk: The State of Schools

Categories: Cleaning Best Practices, Cleaning for Health & Safety, Straight Talk!

If we could designate one type of building or facility that deserves special attention from the cleaning industry, schools would be top of mind for many.

After all, in the educational setting, children assigned to this special prison system (at least that was the phrase I used as a student) are young and vulnerable. They can’t protect themselves like an adult who can recognize conditions that aren’t healthy, and then do something about it.

Children are closer to the floor and, in many situations, are more susceptible to both allergens and potential illnesses. Sending kids to school puts them in a situation beyond their control. If we are sending them into buildings, shouldn’t we ensure the indoor air quality (IAQ) of those buildings is healthy?

Are there viable solutions?

Stephen Ashkin, founder of The Ashkin Group and an advocate of green cleaning and healthy schools, agrees with me. So much so that he got on camera and shared some strategies that we should all know about and embrace.

Ashkin points to a US$85 billion gap in funding needed to maintain our public schools, a gap that is continuing to increase each year. And one component of this is the out-of-date condition of most HVAC systems. Which means indoor air quality is compromised.

On top of this, the pandemic has amplified these IAQ concerns, Ashkin notes. “It has made creating healthy school environments an urgent national priority.”

Identifying the issue is one thing. But are there viable solutions? In my interview with Ashkin, which you can watch at issa.com/schools, he offers key strategies that can bring relief to the situation. He believes that green cleaning is one way to help with IAQ and protect students. But along with that is reaching out and obtaining key support from specific organizations and their programs and resources. Involvement is next. To improve conditions means getting involved as an advocate for IAQ.

Can the cleaning industry make a difference in educational facilities? Start with the concepts Ashkin shares in my Straight Talk! interview with him.

Clean, healthy air. Kids deserve it. 

View the complete interview with Ashkin below.

About the Author.

Jeff Cross is the ISSA media director, with media brands that include ISSA Today, Cleaning & Maintenance Management, and Cleanfax. He can be reached at [email protected] or 740-973-4236.