Duplin County families raise concerns about school’s response to bed bugs

The above video is our WITN+ livestream and may not reflect the content in this story.

DUPLIN COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - Parents and grandparents of students at Kenansville Elementary School in Duplin County are raising concerns about how the school handled a bed bug situation this week.

The school system says it followed protocol and treated a classroom and a bus as a precaution.

The school system said two to three bed bugs were found Monday. It said a voicemail went out to families advising them to check their children’s backpacks, clothing and other belongings.

The district said no bed bugs were found by pest control, but that the affected room and surrounding areas were treated. It also said a bus was taken out of service Monday as a precaution. The district said no bed bugs were found on the bus, but it was treated anyway.

The district acknowledged a previous bed bug incident from September. It said the parent was contacted and the situation was handled by protocol.

Candice Evans, a mother of two students, said she was shocked the school did not close immediately. She said the school should have switched to remote learning to protect children from bites.

“They will shut the school down for water on the road, but you can’t shut the school down for this to keep our kids from passing it along or taking it home or getting bit,” Evans said.

The school system said that after reviewing legal requirements, bed bugs did not qualify for remote learning.

Evans said she is worried about her 6- and 8-year-old children. She said explaining the precautions to them, including why they should avoid contact with other children, has been stressful.

“Coming home and having to do completely undressing and going and taking a bath before we can even sit down and eat dinner or do anything that just pushes everything back for our kids,” Evans said.

Grandmother Amber Bostick said she believes the school knew about bed bugs weeks before families were notified. She said she is worried about her grandchildren, who spend time in two households and play sports in different towns.

“I was at a practice with my two, and when I mentioned Kenansville, one of the ladies was like, ‘Oh, so you’re over there with that problem?’” Bostick said.

Bostick said several parents raised safety concerns at a Board of Education meeting, but she did not feel they were heard.

Evans said she also had trouble reaching the Board of Education. She said she left a voicemail but did not hear back from the person she was trying to reach.

Bed bugs are not known to spread disease. The school system said its pest management provider has not found bed bugs in any school or other district building during its inspections.