A sensitive question in the parenting community, this is a subject that has been the cause of many parent-teacher meetings gone awry!
Let’s have a look at the opposing arguments!
Understanding the Debate
Some people argue that keeping children away from school merely because they have lice impinges on their right to attend school and embarrasses them in front of their peers.
This is because schools have to disclose lice infestations. When one child is sent home after a visit to the nurse’s office, all fingers will point to them. And it’s not like lice are dangerous or spread disease that the child should be quarantined. Why should the child be kept away then?
An astute argument, yes!
But others argue that since head lice infestations occur in closed spaces, through close head-to-head contact, it can be quite easy for children to catch lice. In fact, this was why the
no-nit policy was put into place.
While nits themselves are not a risk, they
will eventually hatch, and that will lead to an even bigger outbreak. By putting a stop to this outbreak altogether (by having the child sent home), others won’t have to worry, since the child won’t come to school until all the nits have been taken out.
Which Side Should We Take?
The truth is, the no-nit policy was implemented to keep all children safe. It’s not an easy decision for schools to remove a child from class.
However, their decision is based on the nature of lice and nits and how quickly they can spread. There is no viable reason for a child to return to class until they’re lice-free.
And while some do say that the child’s attendance record or academic performance might take a dip, the reality is that most schools now take steps to ensure that this doesn’t happen, all the while enforcing the no-nit policy with positive results.
Understanding the Rule
While lice are not a public health crisis, removing a child was still considered to be an exaggerated action.
However, thanks to many changes that schools have put in place, instead of announcing outright that there is a lice outbreak, parents are given a heads-up over the child’s lice infestation. They are then recommended a professional lice removal service so the child can get treated. And this is where we come in.
With many parents in
Coral Gables,
Miami and other areas of Florida, they come to Lice Troopers for our professional lice treatment plan.
Since a single treatment is usually enough to get rid of lice, children are able to go back to school the very next day, without worrying about being ostracized by their friends.
The Answer
So should a child be removed from school if they have lice?
Our take would be yes.
However, by opting for an effective lice removal treatment, your child won’t have to experience any break from their education, and will be lice-free in no time at all!
