School board considers exclusion policy addressing lice problem
Infestation is an ugly word.
It’s a word that can make anyone’s skin crawl, but it’s even uglier when it comes to your children.
In November, Inman Primary School principal Gayle Allensworth and nurse Heather Hall joined three parents, Corrine Jenkins, Trish Gray and Sommer Sandholm, to create a task force in order to find a solution to the problem.
Lice can be highly contagious and can cause a school-wide epidemic rather quickly.
At Wednesday’s school board meeting, a management plan was presented to help prevent the spread of lice in the Red Oak Community School District, specifically at Inman.
At a November board meeting, an exclusion policy was discussed, but met with many concerns. The exclusion policy would have forced children with lice to be sent home until treatment was completed. Since the idea of keeping children out of school was disliked by many, a committee consisting of Allenworth, Hall and three parents was formed to consider other options. Board members Warren Hayes, a medical doctor, and Kathy Walker, who serve on the district’s subcomittee for policy, also provided input on the proposal.
The management plan presented to the board included a belief statement stating regular attendance to school is important and when lice go untreated, “the learning process is interrupted.” It also stated the purpose of the committee was to create guidelines and resources for schools and families to deal with this issue.
The plan included the school’s role in managing a situation. The school will assist in educating parents, teachers and students about lice prevention. The plan states schools will also keeps children’s belongings separate, including coats and mats. Students will also be reminded to not share combs, earphones, hats and other items, as well as be encouraged to keep long hair in a ponytail.
The plan mandates notes will be sent home when a child is found with lice. In order to encourage parents to take care of the problem at home, the schools will also provide parents with free treatment kits.
A section of the plan states once a case has been identified, “children will not be excluded from school on the day that head lice is detected. Children can be excluded from school if live lice are observed after treatment, and the progressions to remove [eggs] is not evident.”
A child’s return to class will be based on an inspection by a school official to make sure there are no live lice present.
Parents will be provided with a checklist, treatment plan, treatment kit and, if necessary, a medical referral for severe or recurring cases.
Although board members had a chance to look over the non-exclusion plan, they agreed to vote on it “pending a presentation by the drafting group to the board for clarification.”
The next school board meeting will be March 23.