Conn. principal on leave after witnessing students take "Cinnamon Challenge" at lunch

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Cinnamon

(Credit: istockphoto)

(CBS) NEW HAVEN, Conn. - A New Haven principal is on leave after his students experimented with a strange fad called "The Cinnamon Challenge" in the cafeteria.

The "challenge" involves attempting to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon.

The New Haven Register reports that Clinton Avenue School Principal Carmen Ana Rodriguez allegedly witnessed a student or students trying this bizarre challenge at lunchtime and did nothing to stop it, according to anonymous sources.

It is believed that a student brought the cinnamon to school after seeing a video of other kids trying the uncomfortable feat.

Chief Operative Officer William Clark confirmed Rodriguez has been placed on administrative leave while the district and state Department of Children and Families investigate the situation.

Dr. David Katz, the director and founder of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, said he was not aware of the fad, but thinks it is a potentially dangerous game.

"I think there is a real hazard here. I think for the most part it will cause a lot of coughing and sputtering," he said. "Some will end up aspirating cinnamon and some could have acute respiratory distress."

Foreign materials aspirated into the lungs could cause particular respiratory distress for kids with asthma. While the risk of death is remote, Katz said it is not out of the question.

However, Katz warned that trying to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon as it is simply not good for you.

"What is the point of this? It's just ridiculous," he said.

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by sandy111242 March 20, 2012 12:11 AM EDT: I'm sorry, I just don't get it.. why would anyone want to risk doing any kind of an experiment on themselves.. do they not think about the possiblity of a bad outcome...I never in my life had a desire to do stupid things.. all I ever did was have fun...good , clean fun..
and have many great happy memories because of this.. how many "happy" memories will these kids have.. especially if one of them dies from this stupid experiment? I think parents of today, need to become more involved in their kids lives..instead of letting them run the streets and do as they please.. hello people wake up!; Reply to this comment


by Michelangelo411 February 7, 2012 2:03 AM EST: Ummmm, I find it a tad harsh to suspend the principle for this. She probably just thought it was kids having fun, which is exactly what it was. It's not like she joined them in snorting some rails of coke off the lunch room table or something. Gimme a break!; Reply to this comment


by TarJohnson February 3, 2012 8:49 PM EST: At first, I thought this was referring to my 8th grade class, two days ago about 30-40 kids attempted the Cinnamon challenge...in my opinion it's a stupid way to get sick. Aside from everyones stomach hurting who attempted it, one kid's eyes got all pink and puffy and his nose was pink from noon to about 2 am and he felt sick as he could, I reccommend no one attempting this, nice way to choke and die.; Reply to this comment


by jollychap123 February 3, 2012 10:09 AM EST: Well way to go principal!! How to get a few days off from work without really trying. Put the rest of that cinnamon back in the kitchen cabinet, ya hear?; Reply to this comment


by ItsWinston February 1, 2012 11:43 PM EST: Personally, I take a cinnamon dose on the regular for blood sugar, cholesterol and arthritis. It works wonders. I have yet to choke and die. Carry on kids.; Reply to this comment


by oldabner February 1, 2012 3:26 PM EST: Sounds like the nutmeg thing from years ago - supposed to get you buzzed - it doesn't, only f*cks up your stomach.; Reply to this comment


by caljack430 February 1, 2012 11:48 AM EST: wow. really!? whatever happened to rolling mercury around in your hands just because it was fun? we protect our children TOO much from the WRONG things these days. censor them from violence and sex at age 7? nooooo. stop them from being kids by playing stupid games because they're having fun and *omg* that's so dangerous? of course.

goodbye innocent youth.; Reply to this comment

by jonpluc@aol.com February 1, 2012 11:47 AM EST

So this guy spent a decade getting an education and works to make children's lives better every day, and the guy gets suspended over cinnamon? Whats next firing school Principals over kids who blow soap bubbles in the cafeteria? After all soap in the eye can really sting!

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by oldabner February 1, 2012 3:23 PM EST: I think that Carmen is a chick, duh.


by topwebcomics February 1, 2012 11:45 AM EST: Lets do our best to avoid having kids explore the world. Fun is wasteful and makes for bad corporate zombies.

What the hell is wrong with this world when people aren't satisfied with just laughing to themselves at how dumb other people are and instead have to go out of their way to force the world to act how they "think" they should act.; Reply to this comment


by jschufm February 1, 2012 11:41 AM EST: Some idiot kid swallows some everyday kitchen spices and the principal gets put on admin leave? Ridiculous! Big Brother is here, and he is watching you! (Besides, it is suppose to be nutmeg, dude!); Reply to this comment