Students in Maine were accidentally served dirt for dessert, school says

Medomak Valley High School in Waldoboro reported an accidental incident at its Empty Bowl Supper on May 13. Students had baked sheets of soil earlier in the day to sterilize it for a science activity and planned to test plant growth with the sterilized soil. The soil was placed in a foil-covered dish near the stove area, away from the food items for the supper. During service, the dish was mistakenly identified as part of the meal and brought out to the serving tables. Three students briefly took bites before realizing the item was soil. The soil was removed from the event, and staff contacted parents and spoke directly with the students. The school stated it was not a prank.

"“Last night at the Empty Bowl Supper, an unfortunate accidental incident occurred,” the Medomak Valley High School in Waldoboro said in a Facebook post last week."

"Earlier in the day, a group of students baked sheets of soil to sterilize it as part of a science activity. They planned to later test plant growth with the soil, the school said. The dirt had been put into a dish covered in foil which was placed beside the stove area, away from the Empty Bowl Supper food items, the school shared."

"“In the effort to quickly deliver food to the serving tables, the dish was mistakenly identified as part of the meal and brought out for service,” Pease said. Three students “briefly” took a bite of the soil, before “immediately” realizing what the item was, the school said. The dirt was removed from the event, the school said."

"School staff contacted the parents of the students involved and spoke to the students directly, Pease said. “This was a completely accidental situation and absolutely not a prank,” the school said."

Read at Boston.com