Four Belmont High School teachers were placed on paid administrative leave last week while the school investigates an incident in which students were driven off campus to participate in a prank against another school.

Dayton Public Schools spokeswoman Jill Moberley said the teachers transported three students to Meadowdale High School on Oct. 3 as part of Spirit Week.

“(The district) learned about it this last week, at which time the teachers were removed,” Moberley said.

Belmont officials brought the incident to the district’s attention last week. An incident report had been filed on Oct. 4.

A incident report provided by the school says the students were transported to the school at about 6 p.m. to commit a Homecoming prank in which they placed plastic forks in the lawn and paper cups on a fence. The report says that a Belmont student was punched in the face by a Meadowdale student during the prank.

The report does not indicate whether the teachers participated in the prank or if they were present for the assault. It says that police were not contacted about the incident.

Moberley said the issue was that the students should not have been transported by staff members. She said students are not allowed to be in employees’ personal vehicles without advance permission.

She would not release the teachers’ names citing personnel issues. Moberley declined to comment on what the employees’ punishment could be. She said there will likely be disciplinary action against the students involved as well.

“Teachers have due process rights,” said Superintendent Lori Ward. She said the district is very concerned about having four teachers out of the classroom. “It’s important to us that they go back into the classroom as soon as possible.”

The teacher’s union, the Dayton Education Association, could not be reached for comment.