This article was written by journalism student, Jonah Edson
The first question many ask about the toaster incident is “What is the toaster incident?” U-32 used to have a large, rotating toaster oven sitting on the metal table in the cafeteria. It’s a place for students to toast their bagels in the morning during breakfast. Recently, some may have noticed that this toaster has disappeared, replaced by a small, slower toaster. So what happened to the toaster?
The large toaster fell off the metal table while it was being moved during an event for teachers. “Unfortunately, the teachers didn’t realize it was plugged in,” said Brian Fischer, Director of Food Service & Nutrition. The toaster was broken, so the kitchen staff replaced it with a temporary, smaller toaster that is more like a normal, household toaster. It was not an accident made by students.
The effect of the missing toaster on students varies. Nancy Robinson, a paraeducator at U-32, said, “It has impacted their ability to get to TA on time.” Nancy has done morning cafe duty for 3 years, and it’s something she enjoys. “I get to connect with people,” she said.
Nancy has observed the effect that the missing toaster has on students. “I think it has frustrated students because it takes them so much longer to toast their bagels,” said Nancy. The old toaster was able to toast multiple bagels at once, and was hotter, which made it easier for students to get in and get out. Brian said, “Lots of them [students] avoid bagels because they don’t want to wait in the toaster line right now.”
The process of getting a new toaster is simple. They cost around $1000, but this is well within the school kitchen’s budget and Brian has already ordered one. Brian said, “It should be here any day now.”
