Bed bugs found in charter school’s cafeteria

By Marcella Raymond

Chicago, Illinois (WGN) -- Some parents are unhappy after bed bugs were found in the cafeteria of a Chicago charter school.

The principal of Frazier Prep Academy, a charter school in North Lawndale, sent a letter home Jan. 25 telling parents a bed bug was found in the cafeteria.

Before Christmas break, Tyffanni Bickhem, a parent, heard a rumor that the school had bed bugs.

“My kids were telling me, ‘They’re making us put our clothes on the outside in the hallway,’” she said.

She didn’t want to spread rumors so she talked with the principal.

“She assured me that there’s not a problem, nothing is going on,” she said.

This past Friday, her son, who’s a seventh grader, brought home the letter saying a bed bug was found in the cafeteria.

Another employee told her two bed bugs were found in a classroom.

Bickhem is very concerned about what she calls the lack of communication between the principal and parents and that the problem wasn’t addressed sooner.

The principal did not answer WGN’s requests for an interview.

Bed bugs are pretty common and feed on human blood. They easily transfer from one person to another, one home to another.

Bickhem kept her children home the last two days.

On Wednesday, an employee said the school has been cleaned and gave it the all-clear.


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