(WSVN) - A viral video shows high school students in Ohio pepper sprayed in exchange for extra credit as part of their Criminal Science Technology class.

The viral video racked up hundreds of thousands of views since it was posted Monday and depicts students yelling and writhing in agony from the chemicals near their eyes and nose. The video has spurred controversy with many believing the exercise went too far.

“It hurt for a couple days, like if you went to go get in the shower. It was still in your eyes, and it still burned,” said Zach Steinhour, one of the students hit with the pepper spray.

The activity was conducted by a class instructor and students were required to have parental permission as well as consent to participate, according to a statement released by the school district.

The instructor was a “former police chief and an experienced professional,” according to the school district.

“I obviously had no idea it would be that painful, but I was proud of them, I was proud of all the kids that did it,” said Melody Steinhour, the student’s mother.

Most of the students in the class want to go into law enforcement, where part of their training includes getting pepper sprayed.

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