Courtney Mabeus, The Examiner
2007-12-12 08:00:00.0
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WASHINGTON -

Herbert Hoover Middle School parents said they felt safe packing their children off to school Tuesday, two days after a special education teacher there died from complications from a virulent form of staph infection.

Merry F. King, 48, died Sunday evening. She had taught special education at the school, in Potomac, since 2005. A letter sent home to parents by Hoover Principal Billie-Jean Bensen on Monday told the community of her death.

Though it is not clear how King contracted the illness, an antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, parents said they were confident that the school system responded accurately.

Bob Adams, who waited outside Hoover on Tuesday afternoon, said keeping children safe and healthy was a matter of “prudent parenting.”

“The world we live in is so dynamic and diverse,” Adams said. “You can’t be isolating.”

King had been absent from school since Nov. 30 and was admitted to a hospital Dec. 3, where she died Sunday. Her death was the first involving MRSA reported in the county among students or educators.

School officials said they were taking extra precautions Tuesday by cleaning common areas in addition to King’s former classroom.

Hoover parent Stacy Narrow said she has seen more awareness of MRSA since dozens of cases were reported across the county’s schools this fall. She said there’s even been talk about the deadly strain at her gym.

“I think everybody’s being really cognizant of that there’s an issue out there,” Narrow said.

Board of Education members said they were satisfied with the school’s attempts to notify parents. They said they didn’t see the need to make new policies regarding the handling of MRSA cases, which are currently self-reported.

“You have to demonstrate to me that our current rapid response doesn’t work,” school board member Steve Abrams said Tuesday. “I think it does.”

cmabeus@dcexaminer.com