GOUVERNEUR -- A group of Gouverneur Middle School students was kicked out of the state Assembly chamber today, according to news reports in the Albany Times Union and the Buffalo News.

The approximately 30 students and four school officials were taking part in a long-planned field trip and were guests of Republican Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush, the Times-Union reported.

Republican members of the legislature "were told by Democrats who control the Assembly floor that a Republican assemblyman had unwittingly used the children as 'props' when he gestured toward the group and referenced children during an otherwise routine floor debate," the newspaper reported.

Apparently, Republican Assemblyman Michael Durso had gestured at the students to make a point about the importance of the GOP-backed bill on child care providers that lawmakers were discussing — a move that apparently may have violated the chamber’s rules, Durso said in a news conference, the Times Union report said.

But it’s unclear why any alleged violation of the rules by the assemblyman would have been taken out on the school group that was observing the Legislature and not in attendance for any specific issue, said the Times Union.

Click here to view the Times Union story.

Click here to view the Buffalo News story.