SILSBEE, Texas — Silsbee ISD says there are bats inside of the high school and crews are working to remove them.
In a letter posted on its website, principal Scott Schwartz says 'no faculty, staff, students, and visitors have been in contact with a bat.'
Sophomore Jace Thompkins tells 12News he's seen the bats on multiple occasions.
"I've seen about five or six," Thompkins said. "They've been in the bathroom, I've seen them. The gym they've flown around."
12News received multiple videos of bats sitting on walls and flying around Silsbee's gymnasium.
Schwartz sent his letter out to parents on Tuesday stating procedures to remove the bats are taking place immediately.
However, Thompkins says this isn't a new problem.
"When I was a freshman, I was in the cafeteria and I saw it flying around during lunch but I didn't really seem them much that year. This year, they've been a lot worse," Thompkins said.
It's unclear how many bats are inside the campus.
"I did have a friend who said it almost bit him because it was in the bathroom," Thompkins said.
In the letter sent out, district personnel have inspected the building and says there will be no danger to students or staff during this process.
The letter is also encouraged parents that anyone who feels a child touched or grabbed a bat, should contact the high school.
"We are committed to providing a safe environment for our children. Inspections to keep the campus free of pests are conducted throughout the year," Silsbee High School Principal Scott Schwartz said in the letter.
Texas Parks and Wildlife says Texas is home to 32 of 47 species of bats found in the United States.
"Not only does it hold the distinction of having the most kinds of bats, it also boasts the largest known bat colony in the world, Bracken Cave Preserve, near San Antonio, and the largest urban bat colony, Congress Avenue Bridge, in Austin," TPWD says on its website.
Bats can be dangerous and carry diseases such as rabies, the CDC says.
"Recent data suggest that transmission of rabies virus can occur from minor, seemingly unimportant, or unrecognized bites from bats," the CDC says. "Human and domestic animal contact with bats should be minimized, and bats should never be handled by untrained and unvaccinated persons or be kept as pets."
Bat droppings, called guano, can also be dangerous, according to a blog by Terminix.