Petition urges WCPSS to change cleaning procedures
WAKE COUNTY, NC (WTVD) -- A petition circulating online wants Wake County Schools to change its cafeteria table washing policy.
The district washes lunch tables during lunch hours with water only.
Parents said they are worried about germs spreading as flu season spikes and are asking WCPSS for a better way to sanitize.
Wake County parent Kira Kroboth started the petition, which has more than 700 signatures.
"When the flu emails hit my inbox this week saying the flu was in both kindergarten and second grade at our school, that's when I said ok we need a petition," she said. "They're eating on the same surface that hundreds of other kids have eaten on who may or may not be sick or don't know they're sick or are sick and they're putting their hands in their mouth."
WCPSS spokesperson Heather Lawing said in a statement, "Our practices consider the safety of all students with medical conditions and allergies including, but not limited to food and environmental. The rapid turn-around of students in our cafeterias during lunch sessions does not allow for the safe use of chemicals for all children. WCPSS Child Nutrition Services uses a surface sanitizer on tables after breakfast session and after the final lunch session. Both of which take place when no students are present."
Kroboth said her son's allergies make him more susceptible to illnesses such as the flu.
"If it hits our house, that's a big deal. And if it hits a home with a newborn, that's a big deal. It's not just about the kids who are sitting at the tables. It's about the families," she said.
