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(CBS) ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. One Anne Arundel County school has been put under investigation after students were forced to undergo a strip search.
The principal at Shipley's Choice Elementary has now been temporarily removed as an investigation into the incident goes forward.
An overnight field trip to the Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center last month, led to an alleged strip search of several third grade students from Shipley's Choice.
"I would like the school board to talk more," said parent Colleen Carneglia. "They need to give answers to some of the questions that are being asked."
For some parents at Shipley's Choice, many questions have been raised.
So far, school leaders confirmed that the third grade class took a sleep over trip to Arlington Echo--an outdoor learning center. Sometime during the trip students were forced to strip while they were searched for ticks that may carry lyme disease.
Despite that explanation, some parents said they did not think the strip search was needed to protect the students' safety.
"They could have waited or they could teach the kids to look themselves," said parent Jeri Cohen. Cohen added, "There's nothing that's going to happen that's that dramatic until the next day."
Ticks are a common carrier of lyme disease and children who are bitten must be searched for the tick bites. That was why some parents said a strip search was okay.
"It seems like a case where you're on a camping trip and someone's checking for ticks, well maybe its not about something that's really a sexual situation," said parent Jani Zito.
Zito's daughter, Melonie, was bitten by a tick last summer and acquired lyme disease.
Because of the risk of lyme disease, Zito said she agreed with the search but that the school system should have a policy to address the issue.
"Maybe parents need to sign a permission slip," said Zito. "In my case, I would certainly say 'oh please check my child for ticks' because I know what it costs if you don't check."
Maryland has a high rate of lyme disease cases and the spring and summer months have traditionally been the worst for infections.
Anne Arundel County school officials declined interview requests but county police did say they are looking into "possible child abuse."
The principal who has been temporarily removed was not on the trip when the strip searches took place.
Some parents said since the principal was not there, she should be re- instated immediately.
(� MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Posts: 696 | From New York | Registered: Aug 2006
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Well, someone had good intentions but it sounds as if they went about it in a bad way. Permission slips would be a way to go. Who performed the tick checks? I don't think 3rd graders would be capable of checking themselves.
-------------------- "Few of us can do great things, but all of us can do small things with great love". Mother Theresa
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I agree-- third graders are not capable of thoroughly checking themselves. Nymphs are so tiny that it require a lot of looking to find them -- and adult ticks crawl so fast up to the neck area there are there before you know it!
I once hosted a child from the Fresh Air Fund, and I made her swim in the chlorinated Town pool every day after playing outside in Town camp. (She learned how to swim...) I did not let her play again outside after swimming. That was my alternative solution to a "full body" tick check. I figured that the chlorine would kill any ticks. I also asked her to check herself which she did not do!!
Personally I was afraid to check her due to the very same thing that happened at Anne Arundel!
I guess as long as the EIS is playing games, minimizing the seriousness of this illness-- there won't be any nationally issued guidelines for things like school camping trips in Tick infested areas.
Hey-- why should they care-- they'll just tell the moms that the kid isn't sick when little Johnny comes home with a bullseye rash and then when he has long term learning problems and a lowered IQ-- they'll just blame the mom...and the LLD.
Posts: 696 | From New York | Registered: Aug 2006
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
If someone gave my kid a tick check w/o my knowledge/permission I would be as mad as heck too!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That said, I think they OUGHT to have taught the kids to do it themselves and/or passed out a how-to flyer for the parents to do it after exposing them to potential ticks like that-
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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lou4656
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10300
posted
I just talked to a parent that volunteered yesterday at Arlington Echo. The volunteers were instructed to remove and save ticks that were on parts of a child's body that would not be covered by a modest bathing suit. One child did have a tick removed, and the parent volunteers were surprised by how small the tick was.
I am thinking about contacting the county about giving pamphlets to parents of children that stay at Arlington Echo with information about tick removal and lyme disease.
I am posting this because I am looking for suggestions as how to best approach this.
Thanks!
-------------------- LouLou Posts: 1276 | From maryland | Registered: Oct 2006
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Hi lou: That's a good start-- I guess we patients are going to have to force some interest on behalf of the incompetent scientists at the CDC and the EIS-- who should have thought of this very issue of school field trips--- and drawn attention to it--- the reason why they don't is because they are trying to minimize the extent of the problem for their own nefarious reasons.
These self serving scientists are so busy procuring fat BLS-4 biowar lab contracts, denying chronic Lyme as well as defending against the need for antibiotics to treat brain infected children and adults--- that they couldn't care less about a child's long term future. Chronic Lyme can reduce IQ, verbal ability and social skills. It is just not worth the risk of a kid getting infected!!!! And 15 % of those who get Lyme will become chronic-- THAT IS A LARGE NUMBER!!!
My decorator's nephew had to drop out of college due to Lyme-- he is incapacitated, and living at home. What kid wants this future? What parent wants a future like this for their child?
A bathing suit and scalp check should be MANDATORY. Sadly, however, the nyphs are so small that they can go undetected in the scalp and can crawl near the privates and on the butt..and right up under the swimsuit elastic where they can't be seen.
And ticks are found in the one place you DONT check. I know from experience.
Modesty is not worth risking a child's long term health. Personally, I would not send my child on an overnight camping trip during tick season-- because I would not trust the checkers to do a military style tick check job--- it is a lot of work!
When my kid was growin up-- every night I checked for about 15 minutes-- every square inch. I was so tired that I forgot to check myself thoroughly--- and bingo-- I got Lyme....
Posts: 696 | From New York | Registered: Aug 2006
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