The Buffalo News reports a Genesee Count school district is investigating a plot by three fourth-grade girls to harm their teacher by spreading hand sanitizer on items in the classroom. The teacher reportedly is highly allergic to the sanitizer.

Elba Central School District Superintendent Jerome J. Piwko Jr. said no crime was committed and no one was injured or placed in harm's way.

But Piwko said, in a written statement, "The event has been a shock to our community and school."

He said the district cannot comment specifically because of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Genesee County Sheriff Chief Investigator Jerome E. Brewster told the Buffalo News that in the days leading up to the Christmas break three students were overheard by another student talking about trying to harm a teacher by spreading hand sanitizer on items in the classroom because they felt the teacher had been mean to them or had yelled at them.

Brewster added, "I don't know her reaction to hand sanitizer. If it's something like peanut butter — in some people it can kill you. Obviously these students had been made aware that this teacher was highly allergic to anti-bacterial hand sanitizer and they started talking amongst themselves because they didn't like the teacher."

Piwko said as soon as the school was made aware of the students' discussion, the students were called in and questioned. Then the sheriff's department was asked to investigate.

Brewster said since they were 9-year-olds their case couldn't go to family court unless it was a misdemeanor or felony.

See the Buffalo News story at www.buffalonews.com