School safety, security, and violence prevention resource

Authorities in Salt Lake City were not impressed with what they found during a series of inspections earlier this year.  In fact, they were dismayed at the conditions that they saw in many school cafeterias that they inspected.  Take Taylorsville High School, for example.  They had quite a number of violations, which include a dishwasher that did not heat water up to the required 160 degrees, pizza lamps that did not provide enough heat to keep the food safe from microbes, and a dirty can opener. These are merely a few examples of what the Salt Lake Valley Health Department found atrocious during their inspections but they do highlight the need for strict regulations and enforcement in our school cafeterias.

Remember an incident earlier this year when contaminated tomatoes spread salmonella?  That was not really solely a school safety issue – it was more widespread – but it stressed the potential danger that people face when it comes to food and kitchen hygiene.  I suppose that not many people think about the safety of the food their children ingest in the school cafeteria – after all, they are supposed to be clean and safe so they should be right?

If you still hold on to that kind of thinking, read the first paragraph of this post again.  The truth is that not all school cafeterias adhere strictly to the regulations that the authorities have set.  This could be due a variety of reasons but the end result is that children who eat in the cafeterias are more prone to potential health dangers.

So what can you do as a vigilant parent? Personally, I would look for certain information on the school cafeteria and this includes the inspections conducted by the Health Department.  This information is open to the public so it shouldn’t be a problem looking it up.  Check for when the last inspection was done.  More so, find out how the cafeteria measured up to the standards.  It would also be good to actually visit the premises if at all possible.  Perhaps you can bring up this issue during a PTA meeting.  In doing so, you take on an active role and involve other parents who might have the same concern as you do.  I am sure you might hear some comments as being overly vigilant but I urge you to ignore them.  Would you rather be criticized for being fussy or would you rather have the peace of mind knowing that you child is ingesting safe food?

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