Pepper Spray Discharges on Bus to Gladwyne Elementary

A can of pepper spray discharged after it fell out of a student's bag on Bus 66 Tuesday morning, parents learned in a letter sent home Tuesday afternoon.

The bus driver, Leo Alfonso, stopped at the intersection of Montgomery and Morris avenues, and contacted the Lower Merion School District Bus Garage and the Lower Merion Police, according to the letter to parents from Gladwyne Elementary Principal James R. Johnson.

An ambulance arrived at the scene to examine students, all of whom were OK, Lower Merion School District Doug Young wrote in an email to Patch.

Another bus was sent to pick up the students and take them to school. Once there, the students were examined by school nurses and their parents were contacted, according to the letter. Several students were sent home.

"In my investigation of the event, it was evident that the pepper spray fell out of the student's bag and was discharged accidentally," Johnson wrote. "The pepper spray had been given to the student by their parent. While the discharge of the pepper spray was an accident, it is still a very serious incident."

Johnson wrote that he discussed the incident with the child's parent, Lower Merion Police and Lower Merion School District Superintendent Chris McGinley. 

"I have issued appropriate consequences for the incident," he wrote.

Johnson also emphasized the importance of making sure students do not have any "inappropriate or dangerous items" with them.

"Our primary goal is the safety and security of the Gladwyne students at school and on their way to and from school," Johnson wrote.