Allegations of unsanitary food service and improper handling at Cirrus Academy Charter School in Macon circulated on social media this week, leading to a health department investigation after an anonymous complaint was filed. The school has denied the accusations, calling them “categorically untrue.”
The controversy began when Tara Willis, a former chef employed by the academy’s food vendor Nourish Food Service LLC, posted on Facebook that children at the school were being served substandard food. Her post included photos showing rodent traps with dead animals, spoiled food, and text messages referencing skin reactions to water exposure. It was unclear from the post when or where these photos were taken.
Willis claimed she was fired for raising concerns about health code violations and said she had not been fully paid nor granted unemployment benefits. She alleged problems such as late food deliveries and lack of cleaning supplies during her employment. Willis stated her intention was to prompt improvements in sanitation and student safety: “I wasn’t trying to tear anyone or any school system down,” Willis told The Telegraph. “As a parent, I do want to see change. We should have better food options and a clean place to eat for our kids, not just feed them anything and expect them to learn correctly. We want things to get better, but we can’t do that until people take accountability.”
According to emails provided by Willis, she was terminated August 1 for violating company policy including unprofessional conduct toward staff and management.
Cirrus Academy responded on its Facebook page stating: “Cirrus Academy Charter School passed its most recent Bibb County Department of Health inspection with a 100% score, confirming that our facilities and food services meet the highest standards of health and safety.” The statement clarified that Willis was never an employee of Cirrus Academy but worked for their contracted vendor.
“The individual responsible for spreading these false allegations is a former employee of our food vendor and has never been an employee of Cirrus Academy,” the statement read. “This deliberate attempt to misrepresent our school and damage our reputation is both grossly misleading and deeply concerning.”
The school also noted it had not received formal complaints about food quality or cleanliness prior to these allegations: “Prior to Ms. Willis’ allegations, we had not received formal complaints regarding food quality, cleanliness, or worker health conditions,” according to another statement from Cirrus Academy.
Health department records show only two complaints about Cirrus Academy since January 2020—one in August this year against former supplier MAC Food Service (which had recently been replaced by Nourish Food Service LLC), and one submitted anonymously September 10 following social media posts.
Following Wednesday’s complaint, Macon-Bibb County Health Department conducted an inspection at Cirrus Academy. Inspectors found no evidence of pest activity or rodents but did observe three dead roaches in a storage area containing refrigeration equipment as well as minor cleaning issues such as debris on floors and dust around baseboards. No rodent droppings were seen.
The department concluded that it could not corroborate the specific claims made in the complaint.
Officials explained that during the transition between vendors earlier this summer—when MAC Food Service’s contract ended before Nourish Food Service LLC received its permit—the school briefly operated out of compliance due to permitting issues; however, those were resolved quickly after notification from authorities.
A permitting inspection on August 29 resulted in a perfect score of 100%. Previous inspections under MAC Food Service also yielded high marks: scores included 99 on September 7, 2023; 100 on May 10, 2024; 100 on August 23, 2024; and another perfect score April 14, 2025—indicating consistent compliance over two years.
In response to ongoing concerns raised online and through official channels—including reports filed with state agencies—Cirrus Academy said it is conducting an internal review alongside its current vendor: “We will continue to cooperate with any external agency and will share verified findings with our community to ensure full transparency,” according to their statement.
Wednesday’s inspection revealed only minor issues which are being addressed immediately: “Our operations and nutrition team is already implementing the recommended corrections to ensure we maintain the safe healthy environment our scholars and staff deserve,” said Cirrus Academy Thursday morning.
State agencies confirmed they are aware of complaints but indicated oversight responsibility lies primarily with local boards governing charter schools rather than state commissions or departments unless there is direct risk reported by schools themselves.
Erica Acha-Morfaw from Georgia’s State Charter Schools Commission noted her agency does not manage operational matters like vendor selection but requires charters report any threats affecting student welfare: “The SCSC has not received a report about health or safety violations from Cirrus Academy,” she wrote via email.
Meghan Frick from Georgia Department of Education added that their nutrition team remains in contact with leadership at Cirrus Academy while monitoring developments related to these allegations.
