problems, but not pests or pesticides. While pesticides are clearly not top concerns
for parents, this research shows they do become easily concerned when the subject of
pesticides is raised.
This qualitative research was conducted in April 2001 among parents of kindergar-
ten and elementary-school children in four cities: Cambridge, Massachusetts; Raleigh,
North Carolina; Chicago; and Los Angeles. The focus groups were comprised of low-
to moderate-income parents and those with children in urban school settings. All of
the parents were actively involved in their children’s school-based activities. This
research helped to understand parents’ perceptions and attitudes about pests and the
use of pest control products in and around schools.
While pesticide use in schools is not a top concern for parents, neither is the health
and safety threats posed by pests. While parents have an aversion to pests, primarily
because they are viewed as an indication of unsanitary conditions, they know surprisingly
little about the actual health hazards associated with even the most common pests.
Other findings from the parent focus group discussions include: Rats and roaches
are perceived by parents as the worst pests because they carry diseases (non-specific),
promote unsanitary conditions (droppings), and pose a general threat to a child’s
well-being. Lacking knowledge and information about pesticides, parents default to
erroneous misperceptions about pesticides, such as: all pesticides are sprayed; pesti-
cides used in schools are industrial strength; school janitors are responsible for apply-
ing pesticides; and applications are widespread (the entire school building) and
random (not part of a strategy or plan).
Parents know little about IPM, but when given its legal definition, they see it as a
logical, commonsense approach to controlling pests. When asked about pre-notification
of pesticide applications in schools, most parents want a general understanding of
what’s being done, but are not interested in knowing about every application.^42School Pesticide Incidents Across the NationJanuary 1999, Mandeville, Louisiana.Two students at Mandeville Junior High
School were exposed to Green Thumb Wasp and Hornet Killer (tetramethrin and
phenothrin) sprayed in an effort to kill ants by a teacher in a practice room for the
school band. One parent filed a health complaint expressing concern about possible
health effects, though no symptoms were reported at the time. The spraying was
reportedly done in violation of the district’s pest management program. The state
issued a warning letter to the district citing several violations of the state pesticide
law, including applying a pesticide in a manner inconsistent with its labeling, allow-
ing a person to apply pesticides who was not a certified applicator, not keeping a re-
cord of the application, and applying a pesticide in a school while children were
present or expected to be present within eight hours.^43November 25, 1998, Washington County, New York.A parent filed a complaint
with the state after seeing a school custodian at Greenwich Central School with
Claire Lice Killer (pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide) and being told that the134 | Pesticides