WASHINGTON — A recent discovery of a bed bug at a D.C. charter school is prompting safety concerns among parents and students.
A bed bug was reported Monday in a fifth-floor classroom on a student's desk at KIPP D.C. College Preparatory in Northeast. According to officials, the teacher alerted the operations team and the bug was later captured.
A pest control contractor for the school confirmed that this is the second bed bug discovered on the campus.
"We know this can be concerning and we are committed to resolving this situation," officials said in a press release to families."We are working closely with the Department of Health and pest control experts."
To date, KIPP DC has taken the following steps to ensure no further bugs were spread across the school:
- Thursday, Feb. 5: After a bug was identified on an adult’s clothing, a pest control expert inspected the school. While no additional bugs were present, the area was treated.
- Friday, Feb. 6: Several videos circulated on student’s social media. The operations teams inspected these areas and no bugs were found.
Moving forward, the school is planning to do the following to further address to issue:
- Complete a variety of inspections and treatments over the next several days.
- Monitor the school and adding additional staff to deep clean the school facility this evening.
- Treat common areas and classrooms with appropriate pest control products.
- Confirm a date for a licensed pest control expert that can bring in specially trained dogs that can detect bed bugs as soon as possible.
School officials said the operations team is continuing to work with the Department of Health and pest control experts to understand additional steps that can be taken.
In October, bedbugs were discovered at Walker Mill Middle School in Prince George's County.
Authorities in Prince George’s County notified parents that bed bugs were discovered at the Capitol Heights middle school, according to a letter from Principal Erin V. Cribbs.
Prince George’s County School officials described the situation as an "annoyance," not a health hazard.
In a letter to parents, the principal and the county’s chief school nurse said that "finding a bed bug does not mean our entire school is infested."
"It is unlikely for bed bugs to reproduce and spread in schools," the letter said.
Officials said professional exterminators were called in to treat and monitor the results until the following month.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, "While bed bugs are not known to transmit disease, their presence may cause distress and health issues for many people."
The agency’s website notes bites are itchy, can become infected and could cause an allergic reaction in some people.