WAYNE COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) — Multiple students were out of school for days at a time and parents rallying against the school district.
The reason: a bed bug outbreak at a school in Wayne County.
Parents tell us they feel the district isn’t taking the issue seriously enough.
According to Wayne County School District, bed bugs were found at Martha Puckett Middle School more than a week ago.
Parents tell me students were only kept out of school for one day for the school district to bring in a cleaning service.
However, Dr. Sean Kelly, Wayne County Schools Superintendent, says, since then, up to 4 bugs have been spotted at the school each day.
Several parents say they’ve opted to keep their children out of school as a result.
One parent told us she’d like to see the school shut its doors for in person classes until the building is completely bug-free.
“Why not just fix the problem all in one? Just from one end to the other, and let school, let these kids go back to normalcy. You know, it’s all about them at the end of the day. It’s not about the board of education, it’s not about the parents. It’s about these children. And they deserve better than what they’re getting, I believe,” Wayne County parent Ashley Nelson said.
One student says, while she’d like to go back to school, she isn’t confident she won’t be exposed to bugs.
“If I get them, how do I know they won’t spread to my grandma’s house and everybody’s house that I go to,” Samara Vialva, Wayne County student said.
The district says they plan to bring in canines and additional cleaning crews over the weekend. The school superintendent stressed the district is following all guidance relayed to them by the Department of Health.
The Wayne County School System released a statement on Monday: