Suspension reduced for marker-sniffing boy

WESTMINSTER, Colo., April 5 (UPI) -- A Colorado school principal has lessened the punishment for an 8-year-old caught sniffing permanent marker fumes off his shirt, a spokeswoman said.

Harris Park Elementary School student, Ethan Harris, was originally given a 3-day suspension for repeatedly sniffing the fumes from an "enormous" Sharpie marker, the Rocky Mountain News reported.

However, Westminster Principal Chris Benisch has reduced Harris' suspension to one day instead of three.

"I think he comes from it being a middle school principal and has seen some of these kinds of issues. And seeing it at the elementary school level situation, he wanted to be sure the students are safe before it got to another level," Deb Haviland, Adams School District 50 spokeswoman, told The News.

Haviland said the school has a "Just Say No" campaign set for next week to educate students about the dangers of drugs.