Education

America 2013: Bed bugs completely shut down Denver high school until Wednesday

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The appearance of bed bugs has forced a public high school in Denver, Colo. to shut down through Tuesday.

The closure of West High School — home of the Cowboys, and also the bed bugs — began on Saturday after three bed bugs were discovered in a classroom, reports local ABC affiliate KMGH.

West High student Yendi Ronquillo told local Fox affiliate KDVR that the parasitic, blood-sucking critters turned up in a chemistry class. As an immediate result, the chemistry class was relocated to a different room inside the school. “But then they found one in there,” she said, so the class was moved yet again.

“It was good that they said they are finally going to fix the bed bug issue,” Ronquillo added.

In a letter to “West Campus Families” dated Oct. 11, school officials noted that they don’t believe the high school is infested with bed bugs.

“When the bugs were discovered, students and faculty were immediately removed, and the Denver Public Schools Pest Control team conducted a treatment of the area,” the letter says. “On the two occasions that they visited campus, the team assessed the situation and determined that we do not have an infestation.”

Apparently out of an abundance of caution, school officials will close “the entire campus to all students, families and staff from Saturday, October 12th until Tuesday, October 15th” so that exterminators can conduct “an extensive treatment of the entire building.”

The exterminators did their dirty work on Saturday, reports CBS Denver.

West High School will reopen on Wednesday.

Students will only miss one school day. They already have Monday off because it’s Columbus Day.

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Tags : bedbugs
Eric Owens