CRESTLINE - It was a vicious squirrel. A squirrel with an attitude.

And it chased a class of first-graders and their teacher out of their room at a Crestline school on Tuesday, officials said. Then it chased them back in.

Earlier, it had jumped on the arm of a teacher.

Staff at the Valley of Enchantment school called authorities for help about 1:40 p.m.

"Staff . . . stated there was a vicious squirrel on campus," said sheriff's Detective Chuck Wyatt.

About 20 students had been in a portable classroom with the door open when "the squirrel waltzed in," said Principal Terry Stanfill.

"Everybody ran outside," Wyatt said.

Then the squirrel chased them back inside, Stanfill said. This time they closed the door, he said.

Stanfill said he went to the other classrooms to alert teachers not to let students out.

"We've got a wacko squirrel," he said.

A sheriff's deputy was sent to the school to keep an eye out for the squirrel as the school day ended and students left, said Wyatt.

The squirrel made its first appearance on campus at lunch time when it jumped on a teacher's arm, Stanfill said. The teacher was not hurt, he said.

Usually squirrels are timid and stay away from humans, Stanfill said. This one was acting strangely.

"It comes toward you," he said.

The rodents can lose their natural shyness if they are fed by humans, according to a University of Florida Web site that provides reference material on squirrels.

After its adventures on campus, the squirrel returned to the treetops. Animal control officials will try to capture the rodent, said Stanfill.

"Last I heard," said Wyatt, "the squirrel was in the tree," eying people.