"......From now on their kids will be taking bag lunches to school...."

New York, (NY1 News) -- It is not clear how many bookworms are at PS 20 on Webster Avenue in the Bronx, but there seem to be plenty of roaches and mice running around the school and the cafeteria. NY1’s Dean Meminger filed the following report on the inspections performed by the city's health department over the 2005-2006 school year.

"The cockroaches, sometimes you see them crawling over the food, around where they serve the foods," said Amanda Dejesus, a student at PS 20. According to the health department, PS 20 received a whooping 65 health violations during the 2005-2006 school year, most of them for an infestation of mice. One hundred and fifty rodent droppings were found by inspectors during four visits. The problem at PS 20 is so bad that students say teachers and cafeteria workers kill roaches and rodents right in front of them. "The lunch ladies were killing mice in the cafeteria with a broom,” said another PS 20 student, Brandon Garcia. "Just like my teacher Ms. Torres, [who killed mice] with a broom in the classroom,” said Chiara Saez, a student at PS 20.
And, if you think your child's school cafeteria has a clean bill of health, think again. The health department found 360 schools around the city infested with mice. One hundred and eleven cafeterias completely flunked their inspections, and 127 schools were slapped with violations for public health hazards for storing various foods at the wrong temperatures.

One mom said it answers some questions for her. "He does come home with lots of pain in his stomach,” said Carmen Pascual, whose son attends Middle School 22. “And obviously it is something that he is eating. MS 22’s cafeteria was shut down for one day because of a foul smelling waste odor contaminating part of the cafeteria, and that's not all. "I've see roaches, where they make the food,” said Roger Betnacur, a student at MS 22. “But not any mice.”

The Department of Education said it is working hard to get rid of any problems. "We will be working to reduce these issues, and we’ll get them down” said Marty Oestreicher of the Education Department. “But the food is safe and nutritious and I think parents should still send their kids here to eat here.” However parents we spoke with said from now their kids will be taking bag lunches to school.