More and more reports of bedbugs in apartments, hotels, and buildings are surfacing. You can use the Bedbug Registry to check for the latest reports. But more significant for schools, the State of New York, for example, just passed a law requiring schools to notify parents if bedbugs are found on the premises.
"We have an epidemic, and the best tool we have is education to keep bedbugs from spreading," said the bill's sponsor, Assemblyman Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria). Read more about the New York law.
Bedbugs are tiny brown bugs that do not travel on humans, but attach themselves to objects like backpacks, clothing, and luggage. And they bite—leaving red, itchy marks. They are very difficult to eradicate and can be costly to eliminate. One family, for example, brought home bed bugs from a camping cabin in sleeping bags and had to trash mattresses, bedding, and clothing. The effort and the expense were big.
For an overview of what you should know about bedbugs and schools, the State of Michigan has posted a nice PDF online.
