Lice in Wake County schools have some parents fed up
Lice problems in local schools have some Wake County parents fed up.
ABC11 has heard from moms who tell us their children have gotten lice two or three times this school year.
Now they're calling on school officials to change their policy to keep the bugs out of their children's hair.
"I pretty much was sitting in my car screaming and crying because I couldn't get rid of it," said Amanda Duncan. Her 8-year-old daughter never had lice until she started school in Wake County this year. Since December, she's had it twice, and Duncan cut her hair.
"People have myths of using mayonnaise and vegetable oil. We went through all that and nothing worked, and then even from the pediatrician, the stuff that they gave us, that didn't work either."
Wake County schools only sends students home if live lice are seen. They can come back to school even if eggs are still in their hair. The school district says it follows national best practices and recommendations from Wake County's health department.
But Duncan says those practices don't work.
"She'll go to school and she'll rub her head on her friend and then boom -- she'll have lice again," Duncan said. "Parents are totally freaked out and embarrassed."
Desperate to rid her daughter of lice for good, Duncan found a lice coach. Yes, a lice coach.
"This is a huge issue at hand. Every school there is not, probably not a classroom that does not have at least one or two children struggling with this," said lice coach Kim Bost.
Bost treats dozens of children every month.
"Kids just keep getting reinfested, and more kids get infested so it creates this cycle of trauma for the children and parents who don't know what to do," Bost said.
She says a special comb in her arsenal pulls the baby lice and eggs glued to the scalp and gets rid of lice for good.
Duncan's daughter now uses it herself every day. Duncan just wishes Wake County Schools would be as thorough.
"Nothing is being done," Duncan said. "It's plain and simple -- the schools are not all over this like it should be."
ABC11 asked Wake County Public Schools whether there could be any changes to its lice practice.
The answer is no.
But parents, if you are truly unhappy, you can go to any school board meeting and talk to your board during the public comment period.
