Police:Student's hair set on fire in school bus

A student at Hille Middle School in Oak Forest faces suspension and possible expulsion after setting another student's hair on fire on a school bus, police said.

[Colloquy]

March 6, 2010
BY MICHAEL DRAKULICH

A student at Hille Middle School in Oak Forest faces suspension and possible expulsion after setting another student's hair on fire on a school bus, police said.

According to a police report, an eighth-grade girl began spraying a sixth-grade boy with perfume during a school bus ride after school Wednesday.

The report said the girl sprayed the boy near his face. After a short time, she pulled out a lighter and began sparking it.

At one point, the girl either sprayed the perfume into the lit lighter or lit the perfume that was sprayed on the boy's head, causing a brief fire that burned the boy's hair and melted part of his hoodie, according to the report.

The boy's father brought him to the Oak Forest Police Department later that day to discuss the incident. Police gave the father options on how to deal with the matter and the father chose to take it to the school district, police said. The girl has not been charged in the incident, Police Chief Greg Anderson said Friday.

After meeting with the boy's father, police then spoke with Hille Middle School Assistant Principal John Orth. Police were notified the girl likely would be suspended for 10 days pending an expulsion proceeding, police said.

Forest Ridge School District 142 Supt. Margaret Longo declined to discuss specifics of the incident but said the decision to expel would be up to the school board.

Longo said she could not comment because of the girl's age and because she did not want to sway the board before it had a chance to review the incident. The boy has not missed class, she said.

The district sent home a letter to parents the day after the incident. The letter did not give details but called the matter a "significant behavioral incident."

The letter stated the incident did not involve a weapon.

The matter could be up for school board review at its March 16 meeting, Longo said.

[Colloquy]

I guess she really paid attention in Science Class!

All kidding aside, kids don't think ahead to the consequences of their actions. Not knowing either child, I'm sure her intent was not to start the boy on fire. I hope is is ok.

And why did she have a lighter???

[30 years in midlo]

If the use of a home made blow torch isn't a weapon, then the incident isn't a significant behavioral incident it's an accident.

What the heck is the school board thinking?

[SBM]

30 years in midlo wrote:

If the use of a home made blow torch isn't a weapon, then the incident isn't a significant behavioral incident it's an accident.
What the heck is the school board thinking?

Read before you write!

The school board hasn't taken up the issue yet, so how do you know what they are thinking?

The school principal and superintendent called it a "serious behavior incident"

[30 years in midlo]

Sorry, where it said the district sent a letter I thought that was the board. I guess I should have said the district.

[lov mid 51 year res]

Colloquy wrote:

I guess she really paid attention in Science Class!
All kidding aside, kids don't think ahead to the consequences of their actions. Not knowing either child, I'm sure her intent was not to start the boy on fire. I hope is is ok.
And why did she have a lighter???

Cmon an eigth grader should know what consequences could result from this incident.She probably should be evaluated for her own good .This is serious I hope the child is removed from the school.She is way to old not to be held responsible.I have raised 4 kids and although they were not angels this is extreme and I hope the parent of the abused boy take every action they can so this child is placed elsewhere totally unexcused incident.%I feel no mercy for this 13 year old,

[Colloquy]

lov mid 51 year res wrote:

<quoted text>Cmon an eigth grader should know what consequences could result from this incident.She probably should be evaluated for her own good .This is serious I hope the child is removed from the school.She is way to old not to be held responsible.I have raised 4 kids and although they were not angels this is extreme and I hope the parent of the abused boy take every action they can so this child is placed elsewhere totally unexcused incident.%I feel no mercy for this 13 year old,

Ok, let me expand on what I meant...

I'm sure she KNEW what COULD happen, but you know kids, they NEVER think that would EVER happen to THEM.

[30 years in midlo]

For a 13 year old to even have both of these items almost seems like the act might have been (I apologize in advance for my spelling) premeditated.

[Colloquy]

30 years in midlo wrote:

For a 13 year old to even have both of these items almost seems like the act might have been (I apologize in advance for my spelling) premeditated.

My perception of "SOME" 13 y/o girls...

Before going to school, spray alot of perfume all over your body. What's at school? BOYS!!! Between classes, spritz a little more perfume. Everyone tries to fit in...to be cool.

As far as being premeditated (you spelled it correctly) I have a hard time believing that. I hardly think she thought of this when packing her bookbag in the morning...

Books...check
Pen, pencil...check
Paper...check
Perfume and lighter to start Johnny on fire...check

[30 years in midlo]

I can't believe I spelled it correctly either.

So when she was packing her bag in the morning what do you believe the lighter was for?
Perfume to spritz and be cool...check
Lighter ???? check

I just can't picture any good from that for a 13 year old girl.

[come on]

This girl needs to take responsibility for her actions! At 13 kids know the consequences of combining perfume and fire. Even if they don't fully understand the consequences of the two together, they know that fire, at all, let alone near someone's HEAD is not a good choice. From personal experience with a similar fire situation with a younger family member a long time ago, I understand that they don't realize the severity of the situation, but still, they know better. At that age, they know right from wrong, regardless of fully comprehending the severity, they know what is a good choice and what is a bad choice.

[Colloquy]

30 years in midlo wrote:

I can't believe I spelled it correctly either.
So when she was packing her bag in the morning what do you believe the lighter was for?
Perfume to spritz and be cool...check
Lighter ???? check
I just can't picture any good from that for a 13 year old girl.

Not knowing her, I can't get into her head. Maybe she smokes, or just having a lighter makes her look cool.

Or maybe she did want to scare "Johnny". Who knows? Just by spraying him with perfume invaded his personal space. I do think counseling would be a good idea. Hopefully she learned from this experience.

[Colloquy]

come on wrote:

This girl needs to take responsibility for her actions! At 13 kids know the consequences of combining perfume and fire. Even if they don't fully understand the consequences of the two together, they know that fire, at all, let alone near someone's HEAD is not a good choice. From personal experience with a similar fire situation with a younger family member a long time ago, I understand that they don't realize the severity of the situation, but still, they know better. At that age, they know right from wrong, regardless of fully comprehending the severity, they know what is a good choice and what is a bad choice.

Yes, they know good from bad. But alot of them still choose the bad choice, thinking that they have power over the situation and they can control it.

I still don't think her intent was to start him on fire.

[30 years in midlo]

I just have a hard time believeing that if she had the lighter for smoking or just looking cool she would have even thought to bring it out and use it together with the perfume.
I can certainly understand a 13 year old girl spraying a boy with perfume. Seems like a whole bus load of laughs at that point. But having the lighter and thinking to use it seems way beyond not understanding what is going to happen.
I hope counceling is offered to every kid on the bus that had to witness the boy going up in flames. How do you walk away from that unaffected?

[Colloquy]

30 years in midlo wrote:

I just have a hard time believeing that if she had the lighter for smoking or just looking cool she would have even thought to bring it out and use it together with the perfume.
I can certainly understand a 13 year old girl spraying a boy with perfume. Seems like a whole bus load of laughs at that point. But having the lighter and thinking to use it seems way beyond not understanding what is going to happen.
I hope counceling is offered to every kid on the bus that had to witness the boy going up in flames. How do you walk away from that unaffected?

Like I said, she must have paid attention in Science Class!

Counseling is a must for both of them, if not the whole bus (as you stated). And hopefully they ALL learn from this.

Now I'm going to shampoo my family room carpeting...that does NOT sound like fun!

[Indy Coin]

did the student ever drink crestwood water? Think about it !

[Wondering Why1]

Colloquy wrote:

<quoted text>Like I said, she must have paid attention in Science Class!
Counseling is a must for both of them, if not the whole bus (as you stated). And hopefully they ALL learn from this.
Now I'm going to shampoo my family room carpeting...that does NOT sound like fun!

How can you be shampooing the carpet if you go to the Chili Cookoff?:):):)

[Colloquy]

Wondering Why1 wrote:

<quoted text> How can you be shampooing the carpet if you go to the Chili Cookoff?:):):)

Yeah, I'm not going to make it. I didn't want to go by myself

:(

[Wondering Why1]

Colloquy wrote:

<quoted text>Yeah, I'm not going to make it. I didn't want to go by myself
:(

Good thing I didn't pack up my Son and venture out in the rain then.:)

[kc kid]

Wondering Why1 wrote:

<quoted text> How can you be shampooing the carpet if you go to the Chili Cookoff?:):):)

I'm sorry I missed the cook-off. I just got in at 4:30. Nothing like a bowl of chili on a rainy day!
O.K.... I know that was off topic.