Officials at Fowler Middle School in Tigard, a suburb of Portland, have confirmed that several students were accidentally served pretzels contaminated with granular oven cleaner earlier this week. The incident, described by the district as a “food-contamination accident,” has prompted an ongoing investigation and raised serious safety concerns among parents.
Accidental Contamination Confirmed
In an email sent to families, school administrators explained that the oven cleaner — typically used for kitchen sanitation — was mistakenly applied to pretzels served during lunch on Monday.
“Understandably, we’ve heard a lot of concern around Monday’s food-contamination accident,” the email read. “We are sorry this happened. All of us at Fowler and across the District are dedicated to the well-being of our students, and when something like this occurs, it disrupts the trust that we work so hard to build.”
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District officials immediately contacted Oregon Poison Control and worked to identify and monitor affected students. However, it remains unclear exactly how the cleaning agent ended up on the food.
Investigation Underway
According to the district, a formal inquiry has been launched to determine how the contamination occurred and who was responsible. Officials said they are reviewing food-handling and safety protocols to ensure such an incident does not happen again.
“At this time, a formal inquiry is underway,” the district’s message stated. “While we are limited in what we can share while that process is ongoing, please know that it is being handled with the seriousness and care it deserves.”
As of now, no major injuries have been reported, though several students were evaluated after consuming the tainted pretzels.
Parents Demand Answers
Many parents have expressed frustration with what they describe as vague communication from the school. Kianna Bell, the parent of one affected student, told KOIN News that she received a voicemail from the school explaining that her child had eaten part of a contaminated pretzel.
“This is Sharon Mitchell with Fowler Middle School,” the voicemail said. “You should have received communication sent out today regarding the food contamination. During sixth grade lunch, your student reported that they ate at least a part of a pretzel that was sprinkled with oven cleaner.”
Bell and other parents say they are still waiting for detailed explanations and accountability.
“Because they haven’t given us any contextual information, it’s pretty much just like, ‘We followed protocol, we called poison control, and we’re managing symptoms,’” Bell said. “But I want accountability. I want preventative measures. I want an investigation. I want an explanation. Without that, all I can do is speculate.”
District Promises Transparency
Tigard-Tualatin School District officials have assured families that the incident is being taken seriously and that safety procedures are under review. They have pledged to provide updates once the investigation concludes.
In the meantime, the district emphasized its commitment to student safety and the importance of regaining community trust after what it described as a deeply regrettable mistake.
