Dirty Dining: Some local school cafeterias are not passing their food health inspections
FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2006 file photo, students eat lunch at Pleasant View Middle School in Springfield, Tenn. The U.S. government is trying new approaches to get kids to choose healthier foods. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
Posted: 04/30/2012
In a special Dirty Dining I-Team Investigation, we looked through dozens of food safety inspection reports from counties all over Central Florida, and Hillsborough County, the largest school district in the area had more unsatisfactory health inspections than any other district with 17 schools failing at least one food inspection report.
Violations range from simply not paying their health permit fee to more serious offenses like a stop sale on food at dangerous temperatures, no hot water and even roaches and ants in the kitchen.
"Ideally, 100% of our schools would be perfect but we're human beings, we know that. We just have to address issues as they come up," said Linda Cobbe, the Hillsborough County School District's spokesperson.
Ironically, two of the worst offenders in Hillsborough County include two culinary arts schools, where they teach food safety.
George M. Steinbrenner High Culinary Arts on West Lutz Lake Fern Road in Tampa received three unsatisfactory scores over the last two years compared to Steinbrenner's main cafeteria which passed every inspection over that same period.
On January 23, 2012 Steinbrenner's Culinary School failed from food not date marked or labeled, chemicals stored with food, unsanitary equipment and food stored on the floor.
"We bake cookies most of the time which we sell in bags and those are distributed," said Rachel Kohl, a culinary student.
But Rachel attends another culinary school in Hillsborough County with unsatisfactory inspection scores.
Rachel attends King High School's Culinary Arts Facility located inside King High on North 56th Street in Tampa. While the main cafeteria passed it's inspections, the Culinary Arts kitchen received two unsatisfactory grades.
"Mostly, we do banquets for the teachers, where they can come in and we serve them or different programs we'll serve them meals. So we do cook a lot for the school," Rachel added.
During two visits in May of last year, the Hillsborough County Health Department discovered evidence of roaches in the kitchen, food not labeled or date marked, dirty floors and other critical issues.
Rachel admits her instructor focuses on sanitation issues but might be overwhelmed.
"There's only one teacher and so many kids so it's probably hard to make sure everyone is doing what they're suppose to," Rachel responded.
But some parents we spoke to believe that's no excuse.
"I would expect the same standards to be in the student's cafeteria as the culinary arts cafeteria," said Susan Spring, whose daughter attends King High.
It wasn't only public schools not passing with food inspectors. Some private schools didn't make the grade either.
Polk County had four schools with unsatisfactory scores in the last year and two private schools were the worst offenders on that list.
At Resurrection Catholic School on Old 37 Highway in Lakeland parents spend anywhere from $4,000 to $6,000 per year per child. But they may not know they're paying for unsatisfactory conditions in the kitchen.
The Polk County Health Department issued an unsatisfactory grade to the school in January after a live roach was seen crawling in the kitchen and there was no hot water in the restrooms.
The other private Polk school inspectors didn't pass? St. Anthony's Catholic Church and School and Parish on Marcum Road in Lakeland. It received two unsatisfactory grades in December and January for employees not monitoring food temperatures, and issues with hand washing and the use of sanitizers.
But students and parents we spoke to say all kitchens in all schools should be clean and safe for all kids.
"I hope they take the proper steps to get that taken care of because the kids do eat that food and it's unacceptable," said Algalana Douglas, a woman who works at the school.
"I hope they fix that because it's not sanitary, it's not good for people's health," said Michelle Spring, a freshman at King High School, "and someone can get sick."
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
PRINT- Inspection Records
Citrus County
Hillsborough County
Bay Coffee at Erwin Tech
2008 Unsat School Food
Bay Coffee at Erwin Tech 1-25-12
Bay Coffee at Erwin Tech 9-29-11
Bay Coffee at Erwin Tech Unsatisfactory Inspection 8-30-11
Bayshore Christian School
Bayshore Christian School 1-13-11
Bayshore Christian School 1-30-12
Bayshore Christian School 2-14-12
Bayshore Christian School 2-24-11
Bayshore Christian School 4-26-11
Bayshore Christian School 8-16-11
Bayshore Christian School Unsatisfactory Inspection 4-19-11
Brandon ALT
Brandon ALT 1-5-11
Brandon ALT 2-16-12
Brandon ALT 9-8-11
Brandon ALT Unsatisfactory Inspection 1-6-12
Brandon High School Concession
Brandon High School Concession 2-8-12
Brandon High School Concession 4-21-11
Brandon High School Concession Unsatisfactory Inspection 1-25-12
Edison Elementary
Edison Elementary 1-28-11
Edison Elementary 2-11-11
Edison Elementary 5-26-11
Edison Elementary School Unsatisfactory Inspection 1-28-11
Edison Elementary School
Erwin Vocational Culinary Arts
Erwin Technical 29-48-00557
Erwin Vocational Culinary Arts 1-25-12
Erwin Vocational Culinary Arts 9-29-11
Erwin Vocational Culinary Arts Unsatisfactory Inspection 5-31-11
Erwin Vocational Culinary Arts Unsatisfactory Inspection 8-30-11
Ferrell Middle
Ferrell Middle 1-23-12
Ferrell Middle 1-26-11
Ferrell Middle 5-24-11
Ferrell Middle 9-29-11
Ferrell Middle School Unsatisfactory Inspection 9-8-11
Ferrell Middle Unsatisfactory Inspection 9-8-11
George Steinbrenner High Culinary Arts
George M. Steinbrenner High Culinary Arts 1-27-11
George M. Steinbrenner High Culinary Arts 8-31-11
George M. Steinbrenner High Culinary Arts Unsatisfactory Inspection 1-23-12
George M. Steinbrenner High Culinary Arts Unsatisfactory Inspection 5-11-10
George M. Steinbrenner High Culinary Arts Unsatisfactory Inspection 9-15-10
King High School Culinary Arts
King High School Culinary Arts 1-3-12
King High School Culinary Arts 1-11-11
King High School Culinary Arts 5-26-11
King High School Culinary Arts 9-13-11
King High School Culinary Arts Unsatisfactory Inspection 5-4-11
King High School Culinary Arts Unsatisfactory Inspection 5-19-11
Limona Elementary
Limona Elementary 1-13-11
Limona Elementary 1-13-12
Limona Elementary 5-2-11
Limona Elementary 9-6-11
Limona Elementary School Unsatisfactory Inspection 1-11-12
Middleton High
Middleton High School 1-10-11
Middleton High School 1-11-12
Middleton High School 7-12-11
Middleton High School Unsatisfactory Inspection 1-6-11
Middleton High Concession
Middleton High School Concession 1-31-12
Middleton High School Concession 5-2-11
Middleton High School Concession 9-26-11
Mt. Pleasant Middle
Mt. Pleasant Middle 1-3-11
Mt. Pleasant Middle 1-4-12
Mt. Pleasant Middle 8-29-11
Mt. Pleasant Middle Unsatisfactory Inspection 3-9-44
Oak Grove Elementary
Oak Grove Elementary 1-13-12
Oak Grove Elementary 5-19-11
Oak Grove Elementary School Unsatisfactory Inspection 5-16-11
Oak Grove Elementary Unsatisfactory Inspection 5-16-11
Palm River Elementary
Palm River Elementary School 1-5-12
Palm River Elementary School 5-10-11
Palm River Elementary School Unsatisfactory Inspection 11-29-11
Riverview High Culinary Arts
Riverview High School Culinary Arts 1-20-11
Riverview High School Culinary Arts 9-28-11
Riverview High School Culinary Arts Unsatisfactory Inspection 12-13-11
Seffner Elementary
Seffner Elementary 1-24-11
Seffner Elementary 4-19-11
Seffner Elementary 5-2-11
Seffner Elementary 8-31-11
Seffner Elementary Unsatisfactory Inspection 1-11-12
Seffner Elementary
Seminole Heights Elementary
Seminole Heights Elementary 1-5-11
Seminole Heights Elementary 1-6-12
Seminole Heights Elementary 5-9-11
Seminole Heights Elementary 7-13-11
Seminole Heights Elementary Unsatisfactory Inspection 4-21-11
Sheehy Elementary
Sheehy Elementary 1-20-12
Sheehy Elementary 1-27-11
Sheehy Elementary 6-9-11
Sheehy Elementary 9-22-11
Sheehy Elementary Unsatisfactory Inspection 5-25-11
Springhead Elementary
Springhead Elementary 1-26-11
Springhead Elementary 5-25-11
Springhead Elementary 9-30-11
Springhead Elementary Unsatisfactory Inspection 1-31-12
Sulphur Springs Elementary
Sulphur Springs Elementary School 1-17-12
Sulphur Springs Elementary School 4-21-11
Sulphur Springs Elementary School 6-21-11
Sulphur Springs Elementary School Unsatisfactory Inspection 1-6-12
Tampa Adventist Academy
Tampa Adventist Academy 1-30-12
Tampa Adventist Academy 1-31-11
Tampa Adventist Academy 2-28-12
Tampa Adventist Academy 4-26-11
Tampa Adventist Academy 9-26-11
Tampa Adventist Academy Unsatisfactory Inspection 4-20-11
Tampa Catholic High
Tampa Catholic High 1-13-11
Tampa Catholic High 1-30-12
Tampa Catholic High 2-27-12
Tampa Catholic High 3-8-11
Tampa Catholic High 9-20-11
Tampa Catholic High Unsatisfactory Inspection 4-13-11
Pinellas County
Lynch Elementary
Lynch Elementary 02-22-11
Lynch Elementary 04-12-10 (1)
Lynch Elementary 4-12-10 (2)
Lynch Elementary 1-25-12 (1)
Lynch Elementary 1-25-12 (2)
Lynch Elementary 10-07-11
Lynch Elementary 11-30-10
Lynch Elementary 3-2-10 (1)
Lynch Elementary 3-2-10 (2)
Lynch Elementary 5-24-11
Lynch Elementary 8-24-10 (1)
Lynch Elementary 8-24-10 (2)
Lynch Elementary Unsatisfactory Inspection 9-14-11
Pinellas Central Elementary
Pinellas Central Elementary 1-26-10
Pinellas Central Elementary 11-16-10
Pinellas Central Elementary 12-2-11
Pinellas Central Elementary 2-12-12
Pinellas Central Elementary 3-1-11
Pinellas Central Elementary 4-23-10
Pinellas Central Elementary 5-23-11
Pinellas Central Elementary 8-17-11
Pinellas Central Elementary 9-16-10
Pinellas Central Elementary Unsatisfactory Inspection 2-17-11
PTEC St. Petersburg Campus
PTEC St Pete Campus 1-25-11 (1)
PTEC St Pete Campus 1-25-11 (2)
PTEC St Pete Campus 1-26-12
PTEC St Pete Campus 11-16-10 (1)
PTEC St Pete Campus 11-16-10 (2)
PTEC St Pete Campus 3-9-10
PTEC St Pete Campus 4-12-11
PTEC St Pete Campus 4-28-10 (1)
PTEC St Pete Campus 4-28-10 (2)
PTEC St Pete Campus 8-24-10 (1)
PTEC St Pete Campus 8-24-10 (2)
PTEC St Pete Campus 9-14-11 (1)
PTEC St Pete Campus 9-14-11 (2)
PTECT St Pete Campus Unsatisfactory Inspection 4-12-11
Polk County
St. Anthony's Catholic Church & School
St Anthony's Catholic Church & School Unsatisfactory Inspection 1-3-12
St. Anthony's Catholic Church & School Unsatisfactory Inspection 12-13-11
Medulla Elementary
Medulla Elementary Unsatisfactory Inspection 2-10-12
Resurrection Catholic Church
Resurrection Catholic Church Unsatisfactory Inspection 1-17-12
Ridgeview Global Studies Academy
Ridgeview Global Studies Academy Unsatisfactory Inspection 9-13-11
Miscellaneous
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