3-16-17 rosendale intermediate student brings substance to school and tells classmates its mercury

Rosendale Intermediate School officials notifed parents after a student brought a substance to school Wednesday, telling other students it was mercury.    Superintendent Wayne Weber says many students handled the metal believing they were holding mercury.  “That’s the part that shocks me,”  Weber told WFDL news.  “I’m not sure what’s going through their minds because they know having been through science class that talked about mercury and its potential dangers.”   But Weber says it was determined that the chemical was actually a metal called gallium.  Weber  says gallium is not toxic and naturally occurs in small amounts in the body, but should not be ingested in large amounts.  Principal John Hokenson says there was no mercury in the school or buses.  He says it’s a good time for parents to remind their kids that if anyone ever asks them to hold mercury or any other dangerous material they should always say no.