MHP tear gas training brings quick end to Boulder Elementary recess

Montana Highway Patrol training exercises in Boulder on Wednesday resulted in tear gas and pepper spray wafting over Boulder Elementary third and fourth grade students on the school playground, causing some of them to complain of irritated eyes.

In a message to parents sent Wednesday afternoon, school Superintendent and Principal Doug Richards said “(t)oday during afternoon recess, the students and the adults out doing recess duty heard several loud ‘bangs.’ Shortly after that, both students and adults started to complain of a funny smell while some stated complaining of it hurting to breath and their eyes and nose hurt.”

The message states the children were quickly moved inside.

An administrator reportedly “made some calls” and discovered MHP troopers were conducting the training behind Jefferson High School and “forgot to call the Elementary School to warn us.”

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Richards said staff was able to get the students off the playground and had them wash their faces immediately. Some also blew their noses and were offered milk if their throats were irritating them. He said two nurses were already at the school that day. He said no students required treatment beyond that at

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