Parents and pupils in Blue Island School District 130 in Illinois have raised concerns over alleged unsanitary conditions at schools following the dismissal of about 30 union custodians and the appointment of a private cleaning contractor.
Students told local media they had encountered faeces in toilets, blocked lavatories and dispensers without soap or toilet paper. Some parents also reported mould, rodents, overflowing bins and floors they said had not been properly cleaned since the start of the school year.
One pupil said faeces had been left on the floor of a toilet cubicle for two or three days, while stains remained on the wall for weeks. The student said pupils had been forced to search other parts of the building for soap.
Victoria Garcia, a parent, said her daughter had avoided using the school toilets because she did not feel safe. She said children had described blocked toilets, a lack of basic supplies and unclean floors, describing the situation as a “biohazard”.
Parents call for action over Blue Island school conditions
The dispute follows the district’s decision to end its relationship with SEIU Local 73 custodians on 19 August and transfer cleaning work to a private provider. The new contractor, HES, was expected to begin operating fully on 8 September, but the transition has been delayed by background checks for workers who will be around pupils.
District 130 board president Nicole Martinez said the district was working to put the necessary staffing in place and hold the contractor to account. She also said the change had followed what the district described as serious service problems under the previous arrangement.
Board member Jennifer McGinnis said cleanliness problems had existed before the change, citing photographs of dirty bathrooms, classroom floors and unemptied bins. Teachers and former custodians have disputed the district’s handling of the transition.
The Illinois Education Association said the replacement workforce had been understaffed and unable to maintain the schools to an acceptable standard. It has urged the district to resume discussions with the former custodians and consider bringing them back.
Illinois State Board of Education officials have asked South Cook Intermediate Service Center 4 to carry out a Health/Life Safety inspection of the district’s buildings. Any public health concerns falling outside the state code are expected to be referred to the Cook County Department of Public Health.
Several Illinois lawmakers have also called for state intervention, urging education and public health authorities to investigate the complaints and protect pupils and staff.
Parents said they planned to keep their children at home on Monday, 21 September, as a protest aimed at the district and school board. Former custodians said they would return to their jobs if given the opportunity, arguing that pupils should not have to attend school in the conditions they have described.
