Study Claims Lice Policies in Schools are Outdated

Despite the findings of a new study claiming students infected with lice don't need to be barred from schools, the Commack School District isn't changing its policy. 

Students with lice must stay home until they have been cleared, while the  the school nurse sends a letter to parents with children in the same class, school and bus, spokeswoman Brenda Lentsch said.  

The letter advises parents to wash everything the child has, and to check family members.  

According to a new study released by the American Academy of Pediatrics, lice are indeed contagious – they jump from person to person, however, children with lice eggs (nits) should not be banned from the classroom, but instead advised against "close direct head contact" with other students.

The study advises against this no-nit policy because it is hard to catch lice from another child who has had the proper medical treatment for the condition. The study said that these no-nit policies indirectly hurt children nationwide – to the point where some have had to repeat a grade. It said these policies are based on misinformation – nits are not as contagious as the medical community once thought.

The school district's letter said that everything should be cleaned in warm soapy water and that clothes should be dry-cleaned, as that kills lice. Additionally, it said items that cannot be dry-cleaned – couch cushions, etc. – should be sealed in a plastic bag for two weeks, at which point all the lice will be dead.