OPINION/COMMENTARY

Back to School for Pests

As students return to school this fall, parents will again worry about new illnesses as kids come in contact with more cold and flu germs. But there are other risks they should worry about--illnesses caused by the common bugs and rodents found in school buildings.

But perhaps the even more dangerous pests are those individuals who prevent school administrators from swiftly addressing these problems.

Anti-chemical activists have pushed, and nearly 20 states and local government have passed, laws to eliminate or drastically reduce the use of pesticides in schools. Yet pesticides are used to control roaches, molds, mice, rats, wasps, lice, fleas, mosquitoes, spiders, fire ants, poison ivy, and other pests. The public health implications of allowing these things to get out of control should be obvious: increased allergies and illnesses related to insect and rodent bites, as well as reactions to plants like poison ivy....