Dive Brief:
- Several New York City school cafeterias are facing serious health code violations that include roaches, rats and mice, with reports noting fresh rodent excrement near food prep areas and reach-in milk refrigerators.
- PIX11 reports that parents were not informed about the violations until the station began investigating them.
- Additionally, 61 schools didn't have thermometers to measure food temperature and 42 lacked soap for lunchroom staff to wash their hands.
Dive Insight:
Should health code violations like these carry more serious consequences in schools? According to local TV news outlet PIX11, seven NYC restaurants were shut down for the same violations this year. In Pennsylvania, a similar situation unfolded in March 2016. Despite Pennsylvania’s Department of Education mandating that schools have to post inspections to a “public place,” parents there also weren't directly notified.