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Middle schoolers sentenced for life-threatening prank on teacher with food allergy

Posted at 11:16 AM, Jul 30, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-30 11:16:57-04

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Students at an Ohio school were given probation after they played a dangerous prank on their teacher, according to WSYX.

The art teacher at Starling K-8 school in Columbus made it clear – her classroom was a “banana free zone.” She posted signs outside of her classroom that informed students she was severely allergic to bananas. She asked any student who may have eaten one to wash their hands before entering the room.

Last November, the teacher nearly died when three students smeared a banana on her door and then started throwing bananas at her, WSYX reported. The teacher went into anaphylactic shock in less than 15 minutes.

“She starts to change colors,” a school security employee can be heard saying on police body camera video as officers arrived at the school. “They gave her one EpiPen. It wasn’t working. They gave her another EpiPen. Her throat was starting to close up.”

Her colleagues called 911 and she was rushed to the hospital where recovered.

“All of the kids know she is deathly allergic to bananas,” the employee said. “If it touches her she will go into anaphylactic shock.”

Officers found a piece of banana under a table after it had hit the teacher’s arm and leg.

According to WSYX, a 13-year-old girl and two 12-year-old boys were sentenced to probation for the attack.