Every morning, they come to each dorm, meticulously cleaning the halls, bathrooms and common rooms. Every day and every night they come to our classrooms, offices, labs, dining halls and libraries to clean up any mess we have left behind. We depend on them to take out our trash and keep Tufts buildings in good condition. Every hour of the day and night, they can be found working somewhere on campus, committed to keeping Tufts clean for the rest of us. These are our janitors, and their hard work deserves our respect.
Yet, all too often, their dedication goes unnoticed and unappreciated. The incident in Carmichael Hall this past Thursday is a gross example of this neglect. It shows the extreme lack of maturity and poor taste of some members of the Tufts community. To smear human waste on the walls of a space you share with others is disgusting and revolting. To do this and know someone will have to come and clean it up after you is plain wicked. It shows utter disrespect for another person, causing shame and humiliation. According to the article in this past Monday's issue of the Tufts Daily, this disgraceful act even moved the janitor in charge of cleaning the mess to tears. I don't blame her; if I worked hard every day to keep someone's living space clean and I was thanked with someone's crap painted all over the bathroom, I'd be overwhelmed too.
Wiping excrement on walls is behavior one may expect of a two− or three−year−old, yet even then, that child would get punished. When a college student, a person old enough to cast his or her vote in public elections and serve in our military, does this, it is a sign of a mental problem. We are adults now, and we need to act accordingly. We don't have Mommy and Daddy anymore to make our meals (though they may still pay for them), to do our laundry or to tidy our rooms. Within four years, most of us will be required to get a job, find some place to stay and really support ourselves. I highly doubt someone's ability to do this if they find it entertaining to vandalize public bathrooms with their feces. To whoever is responsible for this mess, grow up. You're legally an adult now; start acting like one.
I also have a message for the rest of Tufts students, especially those living in the dorms. Our janitors dedicate themselves to keeping our living and learning spaces in immaculate condition. No matter the mess, they are always there to clean up after us. Let's show them some respect for all that they do. If you see a worker in your dorm, don't just pass them by and pretend they're just some machine that comes standard with the dorm. Tell them hello and thank them for all of their hard work. And if any of your friends act as irresponsibly as Thursday's perpetrator, call them out on it. Report them to the RA if need be. Without our janitors, Tufts would cease to function. They deserve some respect and appreciation for all that they do. Let's give it to them.
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Kevin Dillon is a senior majoring in sociology and economics. He is the founder of Jumbo Janitor Alliance.
