STREET. LOUIS – Teachers at Vashon High School in north St. Louis say understaffing has led to “dangerous situations inside the building.”

FOX 2 News Partners in St. Louis Post-Dispatch Report that pepper spray was recently used against a crowd of students. The result is that teachers and staff send a petition to St. Louis Public Schools.

The petition says there are clear policies instead of effective leadership. Of Vashon’s 37 teachers, only 15 are certified. More than a dozen non-certified teachers work at the school to educate more than 600 students.

There were also 144 suspensions in the first two months of the school year.

As of Wednesday, SLPS district leaders have not responded to the petition.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

For breaking news, weather, sports and streaming video, head to FOX 2.