Classes at Oak Park and River Forest High School were put on a “Hold” Monday morning after two students used pepper spray on each other at the school.
“During the passing period between 1st and 2nd there was a disturbance on the 3rd floor by the main stairwell,” Kristen Devitt, OPRF safety director, wrote to OPRF staff in an internal message obtained by Wednesday Journal.
“Two students discharged pepper spray, striking several students and staff in the process. Due to the volume of students in the hallway and the discharge of pepper spray we activated a ‘Hold’. Once we were able to deescalate the situation, treat those exposed to pepper spray, and Buildings & Grounds was able to clean the area, we were able to release the ‘Hold’.”
OPRF spokeswoman Karin Sullivan said the “Hold” lasted approximately 40 minutes. During a “Hold” teachers lock their classroom doors and students and teachers stay in place.
Sullivan said that no one was taken to the hospital as result of being hit by the pepper spray.
Sullivan said she couldn’t discuss in detail what the discipline the students who fired the pepper spray in school would face.
“We can’t discuss individual discipline cases,” Sullivan said. “They would receive consequences in line with our Behavior Education Plan.”
