While the nation, state, and local community is still reeling from the latest school shooting, one teacher at the impacted Georgia high school has spoken out to share how she tried to protect her students from the horrible truth.
Long-time language teacher Jennifer Carter, who has worked for Apalachee High School for over 20 years, shared the heartbreaking lie she told during the incident. Her story was revealed on Facebook on Wednesday September 4, the same day as the shooting.
In an effort to keep her kids calm, Carter explained that she “lied” to them “in second period.” The teacher added that she “told them it was just a drill,” when the young suspect opened fire on the school grounds. She reportedly told the students in her class to duck behind couches that were in their classroom and remain silent, encouraging them that the drill would be over fastest if they were quiet.
Carter said that her students managed to “just hide and not panic” for more than 10 minutes. After that, they heard “yelling in the hallway,” the sound of walkie talkies, and “banging on doors.” It was at that point that she “had to come clean” about the tragic situation.
However, the teacher described her 18 students as “brave” even after learning the horrible reality and adhered to her guidance. She said that the morning of the shooting was the “worst 20 minutes” of her entire career. Carter received the school’s teacher of the year award for the 2022 and 2023 year. She also reportedly sets up her classroom each year with the possibility of a shooting in her mind.
Carter and her daughter—a student at the school—as well as all the students in the language teacher’s classroom survived the shooting. Tragically, four others died—two students and two teachers—and nine more were injured.
Colt Gray, the 14-year-old shooter, has been charged with murder and has been cooperating with police since his arrest. His 54-year-old father, Colin Gray, has also been charged with multiple counts of cruelty to children, second-degree murder, and involuntary manslaughter. He is held responsible, in part, for the tragedy because he is believed to have allowed his son to be in possession of a firearm despite knowledge that the boy was a danger to himself and others.
