After rat-infestation clean up, Mollison passes health inspection

After failing their last two inspections by the Chicago Department of Public Health, a South Side school that has been battling a rat infestation passed an inspection Friday and was cleared to resume serving food to students.

Mollison Elementary School in Bronzeville was ordered to find an alternative food source on Monday, and again on Thursday after health inspectors found rodent droppings throughout the building.

CPS officials said hot lunches were back to being served at Mollison on Friday.

On Monday, an inspector found more than 200 rodent droppings inside, at least 50 of which were in a kindergarten classroom. The department also cited the school with several violations, carrying at least $15,000 in fines.

During a follow up inspection on Thursday, an inspector found over 30 rodent droppings, including in a kindergarten classroom sink, and cited four unsolved violations.

CPS on Friday sent a letter to parents that said the school, at 4415 S. King Drive, underwent “several days of intensive cleaning and regular visits from pest control.”

The teachers union blamed the rodent infestation on the privatization of janitorial staff at CPS schools that began in 2014.

Mollison’s custodial services are contracted through Aramark, but the company said that pest control is not in their contract, and that the school has a separate contract with Quality and Excellence Pest Control in Lansing. The company declined to say whether they were addressing the problem at Mollison.

CPS spokesman Michael Passman in an emailed statement said that a new, permanent custodial team would be put in place at the school, and that the school will continue to work with pest control specialists to monitor the problem.