Student Suspended For Year After Teacher Sickened By 'Visine Prank'

FOWLERVILLE (WWJ/AP) - A Michigan high school student has been suspended for an entire school year after officials say he put eye drops in a teacher's coffee.

The Fowlerville High School student was initially suspended 10 days pending a Board of Education hearing. Superintendent Wayne Roedel said the suspension was extended to 180 days this week.

Math teacher Mary Aldecoa told the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus she believes she was poisoned with Visine eye drops over a five-day period beginning around May 12. She says she had "horrible symptoms," including severe stomach pains and throbbing headaches that kept her from school.

"I couldn't move off the couch," she said. "I started feeling better, and I went back to school ... and the same thing happened -- I'd get really ill."

The schools principal, Bradford Lusk, said he learned about the potential poisoning through "casual conversations" with students at lunchtime.

"When we heard about this, we aggressively pursued the student and dealt with it, because it's absolutely unacceptable behavior," he told the newspaper. "In most instances, kids are just not thinking."

Police are investigating the case. Chief Tom Couling said he plans to present his findings to prosecutors as soon as Friday.

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