This topic always intriques me...carry on.

Here: http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/gen_info/faqs.html

Yes, they do propagate from kid to kid by contact with other kids or sharing things, and yes, nits are a sign of infestation.

Anonymous wrote:So I can understand not sending a kid home, but why not continue to check the entire class when they know someone has lice and at least let parents know? I've pretty much started combing my kids hair every 3 weeks, but I really wish they'd check the kids - anyone who thinks lice isn't catching hasn't watched a gaggle of Kindergartners with their heads stuck together reading out of the same book.

Please tell us more about your detailed studies of how lice propagate and how to eliminate them. There is no scientific study on this matter, so any guidance an anonymous poster can give on a web forum would be really appreciated.

So I can understand not sending a kid home, but why not continue to check the entire class when they know someone has lice and at least let parents know? I've pretty much started combing my kids hair every 3 weeks, but I really wish they'd check the kids - anyone who thinks lice isn't catching hasn't watched a gaggle of Kindergartners with their heads stuck together reading out of the same book.

Anonymous wrote:Except that kid will infect the entire class.
But then again- you all won't have to stay home with your child. So if course it makes sense.

You know ringworm is basically the same thing as athletes foot, right?

Anonymous wrote:This may be old news, but I found it disturbing. Just learned that the new DCPS lice policy. They can no longer send kids home who have lice. The nurse is also not allowed to check the class when a student comes up with lice. The same is true for ring worm. The suggestion is that it's bad policy for kids to miss instruction.
Are other districts like this? This seems very narrow minded to me and seems to ensure that all folks in the room will share the afflictions.

Yes, you're a few weeks late to the conversation:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/415635.page

Except that kid will infect the entire class.
But then again- you all won't have to stay home with your child. So if course it makes sense.

These are the new AAP recommendations.

Ringworm is harmless and can take weeks to resolve. Excluding a kid for that is nonsensical.

This may be old news, but I found it disturbing. Just learned that the new DCPS lice policy. They can no longer send kids home who have lice. The nurse is also not allowed to check the class when a student comes up with lice. The same is true for ring worm. The suggestion is that it's bad policy for kids to miss instruction.
Are other districts like this? This seems very narrow minded to me and seems to ensure that all folks in the room will share the afflictions.