Teachers have been suspended after children at a school in Texas gave themselves tattoos, sharing the same needle.
Pupils at Travis Intermediate School were forced to take blood tests over fears they could have been infected. Sharing needles can leave to the spread of diseases like Hepatitis B and C, and HIV.
One outraged parent said her 11 year-old son had ‘I heart my lord’ tattooed on his arm and ‘JC’ on his hand.
“It broke the skin and scabbed over”, said Jordan Armstrong’s mother Ashley to Fox 4 News. “The needle was shared several times. From one class to another class to another class. How is it that these kids are getting tattoos in class and not one teacher noticed it?"
Parents claim the tattooing took place in front of teachers. While the number of children who received the ink is not clear, a number of teachers have been suspended while the Greenville Independent School District investigates.
Ms Armstrong revealed that while her son was undergoing the dangerous stunt, no teachers were aware it was even happening.
Her son has received a negative test since the incident but is scheduled for a follow up this week, reported Fox.
“This could affect him, seriously affect him”, she stated.
“Greenville ISD is aware of an incident at Travis Intermediate School where students gave each other tattoos using temporary ink and the same needle,” the school district said in a statement. “Due to the health and safety risks involved, the District immediately launched an investigation. At this time, teachers assigned to the classrooms where the incident allegedly occurred have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
“Their role in this matter will be reviewed to determine if further disciplinary action is warranted. The District administration strongly condemns the alleged activities and will not tolerate such conduct.District Administration will work with law enforcement to identify all students involved in the alleged incident.
“The District shall abide by state law, District policy, and the District’s Student Code of Conduct and discipline protocols during this process.
“A comprehensive review of the affected campus will be conducted to ensure that the incident in question remains an isolated occurrence and does not happen again. Student safety is our top priority.”
