MERIDIAN, Idaho — While head lice is fairly common in elementary aged students, it can disrupt the learning environment. Local parents are pushing for policy change.
- West Ada School District Head Lice Policy Demand for Change Petition.
- Following their policy, West Ada School District officials tell Idaho News 6, they do not notify parents as to not, “single out” any one student.
- CDC Head Lice in schools guidelines.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
“I don’t know a single parent who wouldn’t want to know,” says Megan Nisbit, a mom of two elementary students in the West Ada School District, speaking out against current district policy when it comes to head lice in the classroom.
“The school seems to be sweeping it under the rug and didn’t seem to be very nice whenever we asked about emailing and notifying just at least her classroom since there were multiple cases,” says Nisbit.
So she reached out to me to share her 4th grade daughter’s experience, hoping to bring more awareness to this issue.
“She doesn’t like bugs so as you can imagine she was really traumatized,” Nisbit shares.
I reached out to West Ada School District and their Health Services Supervisor tells me in part, “Sending home notifications to parents of a single case of head lice runs the risk of singling out a student.”
Their policy also says students may attend school with head lice, and treatment is recommended.
“The principal did say that he didn’t want children spreading rumors, but if we don’t come out front and address it, we are spreading rumors,”
Now, an public online petition calling for WASD to reform their head lice policy --has resurfaced-- and is being signed by local parents.
“The petition was to have the policy changed so that if someone were to have an active case of head lice, they would go home, they’d treat it, and the nurse checks [them] before they come back into the classroom.
Nisbit agrees no student should be singled out, she suggests anonymous reporting.
“At least notifying families, so that families can go ahead and be informed and and treat their child, just to make sure we aren’t spreading it to other families,”
