June 13, 2000
The Salt Lake School District is considering a policy that would make it easier for children to return to school when they still may have head lice.
Head lice is common in many schools.
But when it infested two-thirds of the students in some classes years ago, Salt Lake District created a "no-nit" policy.
Students couldn't return to class until the lice and the eggs were gone.
Nancy Kelly/School Nurse Assistant: "WHAT WE WERE SEEING IS CHILDREN THAT WERE OUT OF SCHOOL FOR TWO AND THREE WEEKS AT A TIME. EVEN WHILE THE MOM'S DOING HER BEST EFFORTS, THEY'RE OUT OF SCHOOL."
District leaders have now proposed softening the lice policy, because it's hard to crack down on truancy, when kids are told to stay home.
"IT'S A CATCH 22 FOR US, SO WE HAVE TO GIVE IN SOMEHOW."
Nadine Wimmer, Eyewitness News: "HEAD LICE IS AS EASILY SPREAD AS TWO KIDS SHARING A LOCKER AND HAVING THEIR COATS NEXT TO EACH OTHER, OR CHILDREN EVEN SHARING A HAT. THAT'S WHY MANY PARENTS ARE NOT EAGER TO SEE SCHOOLS EASE UP ON THEIR HEADLICE POLICY."
"I WOULD HATE IT, I WOULD HATE IT."
Alice-Ann Shaffer/Parent: "HAVING GONE THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE ONCE, I NEVER WANT TO GO THROUGH IT AGAIN."
Cathy Christensen/PTA: "LICE WILL JUST RUN RAMPANT THROUGH THE SCHOOL."
Many parents vehemently support the policy to keep their schools lice-free.
But health officials and even the courts are pressuring the district to stop keeping children out of school for nits.
"THERE IS NO PLACE WITH AUTHORITY THAT WILL SUPPORT US."
Diane Foutz/West Elementary PTA Council President: "IT'S NOT JUST A NUISANCE PROBLEM, IT'S A HEALTH PROBLEM. SO TO ALLOW NITS INTO THE SCHOOL CREATES A HEALTH RISK TO OUR CHILDREN."
The Salt Lake School Board will discuss this new policy tonight.
