Education · Tigard, OR
Lawsuit Filed After Oven Cleaner Served on Pretzels at Tigard Middle School
A family filed a nearly $1 million lawsuit against the Tigard-Tualatin School District after approximately 37 pretzels coated with crushed Alto-Sham concentrated oven cleaner were served to sixth-graders at Fowler Middle School on Oct. 20, 2025. More than 50 students ate all or part of the tainted pretzels, which contained sodium hydroxide, a caustic industrial chemical. The district called the incident "human error," saying kitchen staff mistook the cleaner for salt, and Tigard Police closed their investigation without filing charges. The lawsuit alleges delayed notification to Poison Control and parents, improper confinement of an affected student, failure to store chemicals away from food, and inadequate staff training. As of Oct. 23, the lead kitchen worker remained employed in the district.