Lexington, KY- It wasn’t bad cafeteria food that had dozens of people feeling sick to their stomachs at Nicholas County High School this week.
School police say a student at the school urinated in an ice machine in the gymnasium, and that at least 31 people – staff and students alike – used the machine before it was reported to school officials.
The boy, who was not identified, has been suspended for 10 days, pending an expulsion hearing. School law officials say charges will be filed.
He was released to his parents.
The boy told officials he dropped his pants around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday – just before physical education class – and urinated in the ice machine in the lobby of the school’s gymnasium. Another student had dared him to do it, said Ben Buckler, chief of police for Nicholas County Schools.
Although the contamination was witnessed by students, no one reported it to Principal Doug Bechanan until Thursday morning.
The ice machine was immediately taken out of service. But by that time a number of people, including basketball players who practiced at the gym after school, had used the machine.
School officials contacted the Department of Public Health in Frankfort, but health officials said there was no need to worry and no one needed to be tested.
“They said it was gross and morally wrong, but not a health risk,” Buckler said.
Health officials said urine is sterile because the body has its own filtering system. If any bacteria did make it through, the ice’s temperature would have killed it.
But some students, parents and staff remained worried yesterday.
Buckler said there is no evidence that the boy had any transmittable diseases, but he is working with the commonwealth’s attorney to have the boy tested. The Nicholas County School Board is also picking up doctor bills “to ease the minds” of those who were exposed and want to be checked out anyway.
As for the boy, Buckler said charges will be filed, but officials were still trying to figure out what to charge him with.
The fate of the ice machine hasn’t been determined yet. But Buckler said if school officials decide to use it again, it will be cleaned thoroughly.