ANTIOCH, Tenn. (WTVF) — Students at Antioch High School will return to class Tuesday, less than a week after the deadly shooting in the school's cafeteria.
Students throughout the district are encouraged to wear red in honor of 16-year-old Dayana Escalante who was killed in last Wednesday's shooting.
Metro Nashville Public Schools says the remainder of the week will not be typical school days for students, staff, and parents as they navigate the emotions of returning to school.
"If adults are having a difficult time dealing with that, I can't imagine what it's going to be like for a child to do that, or, quite frankly, for parents to send them back to that school," said AHS teacher Aaron Rodriguez.
The district says they are prioritizing the emotional well-being of students with grief counseling and mental health support.
Last Wednesday a 17-year-old student, Solomon Henderson, opened fire in the cafeteria and then turned the gun on himself.
"Hearing those bangs, every kid's eyes locked with mine, and that is the image that sticks with me. Because, you know, I got a lot of teenage boys in there, athletes. They try to put on a great, basic, other teenager cheese mode. The second I saw their eyes; it was somebody's baby," said Rodriguez.
MNPS says today there will be an alternate lunch plan for students while the cafeteria remains closed for repairs.
MNPS is sending a reminder to parents that students should only bring essential items in the return because there is a new security measure in place. The school will use an AI detection system that was loaned to the campus in the aftermath of the shooting.
MNPS tells us they be sharing more updates on safety protocols with parents in the coming days. The district hopes the new security measure can make everyone feel safe on their first day back to school.
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