Gingrich: Fire janitors and hire kids

I certainly hope Gingrich was trying to be tongue-in-cheek in saying this, but I am afraid his disconnect with reality is simply that large. Janitors and custodians are more than just commodity cleaners, and folks like Gingrich are doing nothing to promote their professionalism. It is clear: We have a long way to go in getting the public to realize the true value of trained and educated janitors and custodians.

There are a few things that would need worked out with this proposal, but I applaud a politician even proposing a creative forward-thinking solution like this. Often the current “old fashion” methods of doing things simply no longer meet realities of today. Thanks for sharing this story!

Aaron, what you say is true about5 promoting professionalism, but I feel we have taken away many of the opportunities for young people to learn responsibility and leadership. I was a patrol boy and a projectionist in school for no pay--just the honor of being chosen. Those experiences, and others, gave me pride in my schools and helped shape me into a responsible contributing member of my community. Today, two factors permeate our lives: 1, people want someone else to do everything for them because "someone else" is paying for it; and 2. everyone is deathly afraid of liability--there always has to be someone to sue if things don't work right. Requiring a professional janitor to empty wastebaskets or sweep a hallway does nothing to advance our image. Just the opposite.

I think Gingrich has the makings of an excellent idea. First of all, many janitors (not all) are NOT professionally trained and do the least possible to maintain their jobs. This knowledge comes from hands on practical and direct experience with janitorial supervision over the past 25 years. Janitors as a whole, both unionized and non-unionized, perform well below potential and ability. Magazines and industry publications tend to emphasize the professional side of the industry, but the vast majority are in fact not as professional as they would like everyone to believe. Students, under the guidance of a Master Janitor can outperform most full time regular employees. They learn quicker, respond quicker, are more eager to do a good job, respond better to praise and recognition, and are more motivated in general. Students also can take pride in their school and a job well done. The machines and methods used in today's industry are simple (near idiot proof) and do not require significant training to use. Chemicals are becoming more and more "green" and any potential hazard to younger users is being diminished. As with current janitors, the proper training and use of PPE resolves the majority of this issue for students and current staff. Perhaps those who disagree with the general idea of students working and contributing to society and being productive should actually read (and I mean read the whole thing, not a summary or review) of the book DO HARD THINGS, by Alex and Brett Harris. As with any proposal there are details to work out and practical applications to work through, but I applaud Gingrich for this unconventional and thought provoking proposal. This is the kind of thinking and dialogue we need in the White House.

This topic was discussed on a radio talk show this morning. Interestingly, the point was made over and over by callers that young people working gives them something worthwhile to do, instills pride of accomplishment, and teaches them the value of a job and the value of money. It was also pointed out that nearly all successful people started earning money while young. Gingrich wasn't just taking shots at janitors. He was making a point with much broader implications for youth, jobs, and society.