CARBONDALE, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A school district informed parents that an incident of bedbugs was recently identified in the Carbondale Area High School.
On April 2, the Carbondale Area Junior and Senior High School informed parents that one classroom in the high school was affected by bedbugs, and it was closed for the remainder of the day.
Officials said they contacted the parents of the children directly in the classroom when the bedbug was discovered, and maintenance conducted a deep cleaning.
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However, on April 3, parents received a call from the school district stating another bedbug was found in a classroom. That classroom was cleaned and sprayed, and the room next door was also closed so students would not come in contact with any odors, stated school officials.
Back on March 20, the high school experienced a bedbug incident in a classroom, which issued a warning to parents regarding the transmission of bedbugs from one person to another.
Parents say the school won't excuse absences for students who stay home due to concerns over the bugs.
Parents we spoke with, who wished to remain anonymous, say they're concerned for their children and want to keep them out of school for now.
"I know my one kid has a complete phobia of lice, bed bugs, like everything so he's like freaking out and he's like not even a geek or anything. He just does not like any kind of bugs," shared one parent of a Carbondale Area Junior-Senior High School student.
Parents say it's a recurring problem that isn't being handled properly, and now, they worry about bringing the pests into their own homes.
"Well, I definitely don't want them bringing anything home with them. They're taking their clothes, backpacks, and coats off right now; it's outside. They're not coming in the house with that stuff before I check it," voiced another parent.
Bedbugs are small, difficult to spot, and can spread quickly in places with high foot traffic, like schools.
"About two weeks ago, there was a communication sent out by the school that they had found one bedbug and that they were sealing off the room and treating it," stated a parent.
The school released a statement to parents confirming the issue. They said action was taken immediately to deep clean the room where the bugs were discovered.
Parents we spoke with say they want to see more done.
"In the past, I didn't feel like shutting down one or two classrooms and treating them with a store-bought, non-commercial product was enough, and that's why it's going to keep emerging," stated a concerned parent.
Until then, some say they're keeping their kids home.
If you notice signs of bed bugs on or around your child, the best measure is to clean, contain, and wash everything thoroughly.
