My son is a student at Ben Hulse Elementary and has been sent home twice this year due to head lice. I continue treating his head with those harsh chemicals on a weekly basis but they continue coming back. I have heard from other parents that they are having the same issue. What is the school doing to control this infestation? What can we parents do to have the school do more in controlling this problem from spreading? My son has been through enough. It’s not a hygiene issue. He showers daily and our home is clean. — Concerned Parent, Imperial
Although school officials have said there is not an outbreak or problem any greater than any other school, we continue to get reports and Probe questions.
After speaking with Imperial Unified School District Superintendent Bryan Thomason on Wednesday, we think this may be more a problem with the school’s “no-nit” policy rather than any lice outbreak.
That said, Thomason told us there were two new live lice cases at Ben Hulse Elementary on Monday.
In total, though, according to the school nurse, there have only been four cases of live lice being found on children at Ben Hulse, the rest of the cases have been nits, or louse eggs, and children being sent home per the district’s no-nit policy.
On Feb. 16, the school district’s one full-time and one part-time nurse will go before the Imperial Unified School District board to discuss the no-nit policy in relation to what other districts do.
Thomason said most other districts have a “no-lice” policy, allowing children back at school if they have treated or dead nits. Imperial’s policy as it stands now is much more strict.
We wouldn’t be surprised if the district board does opt to do away with the no-nit policy and begin the process of adopting a no-lice policy instead. We certainly think it would calm the uproar and keep more children in school, where they belong.
Although school officials have said there is not an outbreak or problem any greater than any other school, we continue to get reports and Probe questions.
After speaking with Imperial Unified School District Superintendent Bryan Thomason on Wednesday, we think this may be more a problem with the school’s “no-nit” policy rather than any lice outbreak.
That said, Thomason told us there were two new live lice cases at Ben Hulse Elementary on Monday.
In total, though, according to the school nurse, there have only been four cases of live lice being found on children at Ben Hulse, the rest of the cases have been nits, or louse eggs, and children being sent home per the district’s no-nit policy.
On Feb. 16, the school district’s one full-time and one part-time nurse will go before the Imperial Unified School District board to discuss the no-nit policy in relation to what other districts do.
Thomason said most other districts have a “no-lice” policy, allowing children back at school if they have treated or dead nits. Imperial’s policy as it stands now is much more strict.
We wouldn’t be surprised if the district board does opt to do away with the no-nit policy and begin the process of adopting a no-lice policy instead. We certainly think it would calm the uproar and keep more children in school, where they belong.
