ANTIOCH, Tenn (WTVF) — Just days after a deadly shooting claimed the life of a 16-year-old girl, Antioch High School teachers and staff returned to campus on Monday, to prepare for the challenging days ahead.
The tragedy, which unfolded on January 22 when a 17-year-old boy opened fire inside the school cafeteria, left one student dead and another injured, shaking the entire community.
Aaron Rodriguez, a history teacher at Antioch High, says the events of that Wednesday are ones he’ll never forget.
“The shooting happened on Wednesday. This is less than a week that we’re asking these children to come back into this school where, you know, sadly for some of this might be the most tragic event they ever experience in their life,” he said.
For Rodriguez, returning to the school so soon is a complicated and emotional experience.
The horror began when the student, armed with a loaded gun, started shooting in the cafeteria.
He says when tactical officers shot the locks off of classroom doors, he will never forget the looks on his student's faces.
“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 brave face, but when I saw their eyes, it was somebody’s baby.”
For the teachers and staff returning to the school, the task ahead is daunting. Many of them, Rodriguez included, admit they’re not fully ready to face the students again.
"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," he said.
In the wake of the shooting, the district has taken steps to ensure the safety and well-being of the students and staff. Counseling resources have been made available, a third school resource officer has been added, and a new weapon detection system has been implemented.
Still, Rodriguez feels it’s not enough time for the school community to heal.
He says if there’s a reason to return so soon, he’s pleading with MNPS to share the information.
"Quite frankly, a single day isn’t enough for the teachers to learn those protocols,” he explained. “A single day isn’t enough for us to understand what the security measures are, or to understand the new lunch protocols while they make sure the cafeteria is being redone.”
The district’s quick action is appreciated, but Rodriguez is urging for more time to allow everyone, from teachers to students, to grieve and process the trauma.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at kelsey.gibbs@newschannel5.com
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