Kids, Parents Say Elementary School Has Been Turned Into Breeding Ground For Fleas

SANTA MONICA (CBSLA.com)   —  An elementary school in Santa Monica has become a breeding ground for fleas, say parents and students.

They blame the recent heat and humidity but whatever the cause, they're not happy about it.

CBS2's Jeff Nguyen met up with many people who have been bitten at Roosevelt Elementary.

"I got it on my wrist and my legs," said 11-year-old Hinano Mann.

She was bitten in several places in recent days.

"It felt really  itchy," she said.

Jane Kennedy says her daughter has been bitten several times in the past two weeks. And she's angry about it.

"I don't want her have scars because she's scratching," said Kennedy.

The Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District says the principal reached out to parents earlier this month to let them know about the problem -- namely two-classrooms were infested with fleas.

One class room had to be moved temporarily.

District officials say both were first treated with non-toxic organic material but that didn't work.

Fleas were later found in more rooms.

So the entire campus was treated with a pesticide. the district says that wasn't completely effective so seven classrooms were re-treated a week later.

"They made sure it was done on a Saturday when the kids are out of the school," says Ashley Morgan, a parent.

"They are on top of it and they are handling it the best that they can," said parent Kevin Mann.

One parent showed Nguyen a bite mark - she says got bitten while waiting in front of school Tuesday  to pick up her child.

The district believes a feral cat that's been hiding under the classrooms may be the source of the flea infestation.

A pest control company is trying to trap the cat to treat it.

The district told Nguyen they are considering an additional pesticide treatment of the field this weekend -- but not the classrooms. They're waiting to see if the last treatment e took before making that decision.