On a routine lunch break in October 2025, more than 50 sixth‑graders at Fowler Middle School were handed pretzels that had been contaminated with granulated oven cleaner.
One student, identified only as LL, felt a burning sensation in his throat and mouth immediately after eating the snack, and the school’s staff noticed the mistake only after he complained.
The district’s director of communications, Alex Pulaski, called the mishap a ‘human error’ and said the school was launching a full inquiry.
The lawsuit, filed last year in Washington County Circuit Court, names the lead kitchen worker who allegedly added the caustic cleaner, as well as Principal Cindy Pellicci, and accuses the district of storing chemicals too close to food and failing to train staff.
The suit also alleges that poison control was not contacted until 11:03 am—over 27 minutes after the incident—and that families were not notified until nearly two hours later.
The court case is set to be heard in Washington County Circuit Court in the coming months, while the district works to regain trust and prevent future incidents.