Naples – Meals deemed "sour," children refusing to eat for fear of sickness, and parents forced to take them home or leave them hungry. Protests have erupted in Neapolitan schools following reports about school meal services involving several schools, from the 38th "Quarati" Educational District (Via Paolo Tosti) to the "Paolo Borsellino" school.
At the center of the controversy is the quality of the meals served on January 30th and the management of the subsequent emergency, which culminated in unexpected inspections by the local health authority and the closure of the kitchens, officially for "routine maintenance."
Unusual-tasting dishes and classes on canteen strike
According to parents, the food served to their children had an acidic taste, which they deemed unusual and potentially dangerous. Many classes went on spontaneous cafeteria strikes, with students choosing not to eat rather than risk food poisoning.
Following health checks, several schools were forced to switch to "packed lunches," a temporary solution that, however, sparked further controversy due to the poor quality of the food distributed and the ban on families bringing food from home.
The Municipality's reassurances do not appease the families
Valeria Vitale, president of the Municipality V School Commission, attempted to reassure parents by describing the work as simple "routine maintenance." This explanation, however, failed to convince families, who were increasingly worried and on the warpath.
Tensions remain high, especially due to the lack of official information on the results of the tests carried out by the Local Health Authority on certain foods, particularly the mashed potatoes served in the days before the kitchens closed.
Borrelli: "The situation is shameful; immediate clarity is needed."
MP Francesco Emilio Borrelli, alerted directly by the parents, spoke harshly about the matter:
What's happening in our city's school cafeterias is shameful. I'm receiving desperate reports from parents who prefer to leave their children hungry or pick them up early rather than let them touch the food provided by Vivenda. Talking about the 'sour taste' of food means talking about concrete health risks for the little ones. It's unacceptable.
“ASL intervened, someone made a mistake”
Borrelli also contests the institutional message calling for calm:
The City Council's statement calling for 'calm and serenity' is an insult to parents' intelligence. If the local health authority intervenes and closes a kitchen for maintenance, it's clear something is wrong. Why aren't the test results public yet? Why were the children forced to eat a poor-quality packed lunch with no alternatives?
Complaint and request for termination of the contract
The MP announces battle:
I demand immediate clarification of the supplier's management. If any violations of health and hygiene regulations are discovered, the contract must be terminated without hesitation. We will not allow savings to be made at the expense of children.
A complaint has already been filed, and concerns remain high: "We want the ASL reports and we want to know why supervision was lacking. Children have the right to a healthy, dignified, and safe meal. Those who make mistakes must pay, and they will pay dearly."
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Comments (1)
The situation in Naples' schools appears to be very serious. Parents are concerned about the quality of meals served to their children. It's important that thorough investigations be conducted and that there be more transparency about what's happening.