Rodent droppings found in Milwaukee school kitchen

WISN, MILWAUKEE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, CNN

By Hannah Hilyard

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    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — The Milwaukee Health Department said it discovered rodent droppings and a dead mouse in the main kitchen of Pulaski High School, located near 25th Street and Oklahoma Avenue on Milwaukee’s south side.

A complaint prompted inspectors to go into the building on Tuesday.

The inspection revealed rodent droppings in the kitchen, near a serving line and in a staff break room. Photos also showed a dead mouse on a sticky trap behind a cooler.

The images were shocking to those like Alexie Poncedeleon, who has family attending Carmen High School, which shares a building with Pulaski.

“What’s your biggest concern?” WISN 12 News Hannah Hilyard asked.

“Just like the food being contaminated and having rat or mouse feces on it,” Poncedeleon said.

The health department reported that students’ breakfasts were pre-packaged on Wednesday, and lunch was prepared off-site.

The health department said an “intent to cease operations” is in effect right now, giving the district a week to cover any structural entry points for the pests and clean up the mouse mess.

Milwaukee Public Schools provided the following statement:

“Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is working closely with the Milwaukee Health Department (MHD), staff, and outside vendors to ensure that all measures are being taken to resolve a pest issue identified at Pulaski High School. The Health Department has found no evidence of food being contaminated and the site does not require closure.

“MPS was notified of this issue yesterday and took immediate action to address it, working closely with the Milwaukee Health Department and utilizing licensed personnel to perform eradication measures.

“This facility at Pulaski High School is one of the district’s smallest food preparation sites. All food preparation areas are washed and sanitized daily and all meals prepared at this location are heat-sealed and stored in a refrigerator or freezer.

“The district uses quality control measures, ensuring that if any food were ever identified as being compromised it would be destroyed.”

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