Sumter School District Responds to Photo of Concerned School Lunch Parents

SUMTER, SC (WIS) – A parent at Bates High School in Sumter said their child had an undercooked hamburger at lunch recently. The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she shares this concern with other parents about lunches not being prepared properly.

A photo taken from a recent lunch was shared on social media and discussed online. WIS reached out to Shelly Galloway, spokeswoman for Sumter County Schools. Galloway said the patty was undercooked,

“Sumter School District does not purchase or prepare hamburger patties from ‘Raw State.’ Hamburger patties are purchased fully cooked and the staff is trained to prepare fully cooked patties to a minimum internal temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit. The school’s food safety filing from Nov. 2 shows the patties were prepared to a minimum internal temperature of 166 degrees Fahrenheit. The discoloration is a result of making the noodles too close together and this has been addressed with our staff.”

WIS spoke with the parent after the district responded. She said she understands they have a process, but says workers still have to make sure the food is cooked before serving it to students. She said that her child will bring lunches from home from now on.

Notice a spelling or grammar error in this article? Click or tap here to report it. Please include the title of the article.

Stay up to date with WIS News 10. Get the app from Apple App Store or Google Play Store and stream us on Roku, YouTube, Amazon Fire or Apple TV.

Copyright 2022 WIS. All rights reserved.