Listen--anyone who knows me pretty well knows that I can appreciate a good practical joke. I mean, a great prank is a great prank. However, if there are actual injuries as a direct result of the prank...That's not funny.

There was a serious incident that took place yesterday in Franklin County whereupon several students had to be taken to the hospital with burned throats and mouths plus irritated skin and eyes after eating spicy hot chewing gum.

WWLP/News 22 Springfield reports that an incident during recess at Dexter Park School in Orange, MA, resulted in several students being taken to the hospital. Apparently, during recess, several kids were given chewing gum that contained pepper.

Immediately after eating the gum, students' mouths and throats began to burn. Some students complained their stomachs swelled in pain. Other students who didn't eat the gum but touched it and then touched their faces or eyes experienced skin reactions and eye irritation, according to WWLP.

According to Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth Teahan-Zielinski, one student purchased the gum online and then brought it to school and offered it to several students at recess.

The Superintendent also made it very clear that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken after a thorough investigation. Six children were rushed to Heywood Hospital by ambulance. Other kids were taken to the hospital by concerned parents.

For much more on the story, visit WWLP's website here.

LOOK: Things from the year you were born that don't exist anymore

The iconic (and at times silly) toys, technologies, and electronics have been usurped since their grand entrance, either by advances in technology or breakthroughs in common sense. See how many things on this list trigger childhood memories—and which ones were here and gone so fast you missed them entirely.

States with the most registered hunters

Stacker analyzed data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine which states have the most registered hunters. Read on to see how your state ranks on Stacker’s list.

LOOK: What major laws were passed the year you were born?

Data for this list was acquired from trusted online sources and news outlets. Read on to discover what major law was passed the year you were born and learn its name, the vote count (where relevant), and its impact and significance.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

More From WUPE