BLOOMINGTON - Students of Bloomington High School and their parents are wondering what the final fallout will be for a food fight that has led to suspensions for about a dozen students so far.

"I'm really nervous about it," Elena Lander, a 16-year-old sophomore said Thursday night. She heard at volleyball practice that night that she might be suspended for her role in the food fight during Wednesday's lunch hour.

"I was really scared," Lander said, admitting she threw some cheesecake at her friend beside her in the lunch line.

While some parents and students argue the suspensions were too harsh a punishment, school officials note a couple of students suffered minor injuries.

"It's not funny if you get hit with something," BHS Principal Cindy Helmers said. "Food fights can be a very dangerous situation."

The food fight happened about 11:45 a.m. in the B lunch period. About 450 to 500 students were present, but the number who actually participated remains under investigation, Helmers said.

Power failed in the school, and emergency lighting kicked in, Helmers said. At that moment, one student threw something, Helmers said.

"It lasted for just a few seconds," she said of the food fight. "Teachers, monitors and administrators were there to settle it down, and they did."

After the situation was under control, students were moved to the north gym while the cafeteria was cleaned up. Students for the next lunch were held back until the area was clean.

Full power wasn't returned for about an hour, but the school continued on generators.

Helmers estimated 10 to 15 students were or will be suspended.

Four BHS football players were suspended for Friday's homecoming game against Mattoon because of the food fight. BHS coach Rigo Schmelzer said only one starter is involved.

District 87 Superintendent Bob Nielsen pointed out some of the large plastic trays were thrown, and those could cause serious injury.

"You can't have an environment where students aren't safe," he said.

Tim Parkes, whose 17-year-old stepson was suspended for 10 school days, said Thursday he may appeal the suspension.

"To me, it's too extreme," Parkes said, declining to name his stepson.

Parkes said his stepson was upfront about the situation from the beginning, admitting he had thrown an apple core.

"Plastic trays and, as dumb as it sounds, an apple or an orange could injure someone," Nielsen said. "Kids may see it as innocent fun and don't know what that can lead to."

There are about 450 students in each of the three lunch periods, and a situation could escalate quickly, Nielsen said. Students scrambling to get out of the way also could injure each other, he said.

The surveillance cameras in the cafeteria recorded the incident, and students were identified and suspended as the video was reviewed.

The food fight moved through the cafeteria like a wave, Lander said. The lights went out, she heard some excitement, and saw "food flying."

"I randomly threw a few things," she said.

Lander said she would understand an in-school suspension or Saturday detention, but she doesn't want to miss school. That could hurt her future education and ruin her volleyball season, she said.

Her mother, Verla Lander, said it would have been more appropriate to have students clean up the mess or clean up around the school. She also suggested an all-school assembly to talk about the dangers.

She noted teenagers were excited about homecoming week already and having the lights go out excited them to act rashly.

Suspended students have the opportunity to make up work and earn full credit, and the district also has a process for appealing suspensions, Helmers said.

Jim Benson contributed to this report.