Preschool teacher reveals what she carries in her backpack to keep her students calm and safe

A North Carolina preschool teacher has revealed how she carries a backpack with her containing items to keep her class of young children quiet and distracted in the event of a school shooting.

Erica Rogers posted a three-minute video on TikTok in the days following the Nashville shooting at a private Christian elementary school in the city earlier this week.

In what is a sad indictment of the time, Rodgers explained how the safety of his students in the event of a shooting is at the forefront of his mind at all times. As a result, she never goes anywhere without the backpack.

Rogers shared his concerns while asking fellow educators if they had any tips and tricks on how to prepare for such horrific emergencies.

Rogers teaches at a Baptist church similar to the one targeted in Tennessee, making this latest tragedy very close to home.

Rogers carries a backpack full of supplies, including bottled water, candy, a first aid kit, and other kid-friendly distractions including crayons and playdough

“After learning about Monday’s shooting in Nashville, it really triggered me,” she told GMA.

She notes that the school regularly organizes training and active shooting exercises.

Rogers reveals that her backpack remains stocked with supplies, including bottled water and even candy that she hopes will silence the youngsters.

She explains that it’s hard to keep preschoolers between the ages of three and four quiet for long periods of time, so she has a supply of Dum Dum suckers to keep them busy.

“I teach three to four year olds, so they are little guys. I can’t necessarily just say “Sit down and be quiet” and expect them to sit and be quiet for a long time. So I have a bag of cupping,’ Rogers said in his video.

“They are just Dum Dum cupping and I think I would give them cupping again and again and again and again and again. I don’t worry about the nutritional value of a snack. It’s something in their mouth. This will keep them busy for a few minutes at least.

Rogers says she thinks it’s important to continue discussing the issue because it not only affects her classroom, but also other areas of the school where she and her students may go.

Rodgers also explained that crayons and other fidget toys are useful for buying extra minutes and the ability to distract the class for about 20 minutes.

“It may seem like a lot that I have in my bag, but every little thing, if it saves me two minutes at a time, I mean, that’s potentially 20 minutes that I can entertain a child, if not more, for to keep them calm, to keep them safe,’ said Rodgers, who is herself a mother of two.

Some of those who commented on Rodgers’ post made some of their own suggestions, including carrying wasp spray, scissors and even canned food.

Rogers says she now plans to include a mini first aid kit in her backpack.

“What really surprised me was how many saves I got on the video, people wanting to save it, so they can go back and watch it again,” he said. she declared. “I hope I never need anything from that section of my bag, but if I do, I feel so much more prepared, as best I can,” she said. added.

So far, 132 mass shootings have been reported in 2023, according to Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as one in which four or more people are shot or killed, not including the shooter.

There have been 26 elementary, middle and high school shootings this year alone.

Rogers says she thinks it’s important to continue discussing the issue because it not only affects her classroom, but also other areas of the school where she and her students may go.

Rodgers is a mother of two to two children who are the same age as those in her class

Rogers teaches at a Baptist church similar to the one targeted in Tennessee this week, which means the whole tragedy of the shooting seems to have stayed a little closer to home this time.

“We can go anywhere or we can also walk down a hallway and then it’s ‘Oh, we have to go to that closet,'” Rodger said.

“You’ll hear about another one somewhere and it’s terrifying. It’s so scary because you never know where it’s going to be. Even if it’s not you, it’s going to happen to someone else. And I don’t know how to be OK with that.

‘I told people at work, it won’t be the last shoot before the end of the school year, I guarantee you that. We have 12 weeks left. You’ll hear of another somewhere and it’s terrifying. It’s so scary because you never know where it’s going to be. Even if it’s not you, it’s going to happen to someone else. And I don’t know how to agree with that.