How Clean Is Your Kid’s Cafeteria? New Bill Aims To Help You Find Out

By Katie Honan, JACKSON HEIGHTS, NEW YORK — A new city council bill aims to increase transparency for cafeteria cleanliness by posting inspection data online — so you’ll know just what kind of kitchen your kids’ pizza came out of. Councilman Danny Dromm introduced the bill, which will require the Department of Health to post results of the bi-annual inspections they conduct at every school cafeteria and food service site. The councilman was inspired by reports of moldy pizza and metal-laced chicken nuggets, he said. “The idea is to become more transparent and hold school cafeterias to the same level of accountability that restaurants are held to,” he told DNAinfo. “The city has an obligation as well to meet those standards.” The bill was discussed Wednesday in the City Council along with other bills, including one to require street vendors post letter grades on their carts. It’s similiar to a bill in the state senate that is pushing for letter grades at school cafeterias — although Dromm said he’s just focusing on inspection data for now. DOH inspectors already scrutinize all public and private school food sites, including Universal pre-K sites and charter schools, an agency official said at the hearing. The bill is particularly important since students don’t have a choice in where they eat, Dromm said. “That’s why they’re even more vulnerable, because there’s no place else for them to go,” he said. “An adult can make a decision by looking at the restaurant. Kids can’t — they are forced to eat what’s served to them.” dnainfo.com/new-york