San Angelo ISD Protocol on Students with Lice Amongst State Crackdown of Policy

SAN ANGELO, TX- Currently, the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) deems that lice is not a health problem. In a recent crackdown, many Texas districts are following a previous protocol put into place and are no longer sending kids home who have lice. They do so because TDSHS does not consider lice infestations "a health problem."

Because of this, some people came forward with concerns about San Angelo ISD following suit. What people should know is this is not a new debate. In 2014, the new lice guidelines emerged stating that lice, according to scientific data, is not a disease. Also, guidelines were established for school districts to determine their own policies based on this information. Although many schools in Texas opt to not send kids home who have lice, many schools, including SAISD, still do.

As many people know, head lice are tiny grey to brown insects that are small, about the size of a sesame seed. Head lice live in human hair and feed on human blood to survive. Lice eggs are tiny, white and oval shaped that are about the size of a knot in a thread. These eggs are known as “nits”. Nits attach to strands of hair close to the scalp.

As of now, there is no statute in Texas that addresses excluding children with lice from school. The TDSHS website states, “Head lice infestation is a social issue not a health threat… Lice are not a public health threat. They do not carry disease.”

Previously, there was a "No-nit" policy, but that was discontinued because "nits" cannot cause infestation. With the proper treatment, live lice no longer pose a threat.

The TDSHS also noted that it does not have the authority to impose a set a policy about head lice in school districts, but officials do urge school districts to ensure policies and procedures do not cause children to miss class unnecessarily. Officials also said, “School districts’ policies and procedures should not encourage the embarrassment and isolation of students who suffer from repeated cases of head lice.” To find a copy of those suggestions, click here.

Although lice may not be a health issue, the SAISD lice protocol states, “Active head lice infestation may create a difficult learning environment for the affected student(s); therefore, the district maintains a program to identify and eliminate head lice.”

SAISD's protocol also states, “Children shall be screened by the school nurse or other school officials with consideration for privacy and confidentiality.” SAISD will not conduct mass screenings within a school, unless there are two or more active cases in the same classroom within the same week.

The send home protocol for SAISD also notes, “Children identified with live lice shall be sent home or excluded from the classroom until treatment is completed by the parents or guardians. The school nurse or other school official shall provide instruction to the parent and/or guardian regarding identification of active infestation, treatment procedures, and readmission guidelines.”

If lice have been identified within a student’s hair, SAISD recommends that the child physician is contacted for treatment options. If a student does not have a regular physician, and FDA approved over-the-counter lice product can be used.

For readmission into an SAISD school, students must be free of live lice and virtually all nits must be removed from the hair before the student can return to school, despite the previous calls to change that.

“If live lice are found, the student will be sent home again," SAISD officials said. "The previous procedure will be followed until the student is free of live lice and virtually all nits.” 

Overall, for those people who had concerns, the Center for Disease Control reiterated that "head lice can be a nuisance, but they have not been shown to spread disease. Personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice."