Bulletproof Back to School Gear: Costly, but Potentially Life Saving

12Aug
by Leticia Chavez-Garcia

With all of the shootings that we are experiencing as a country, there is an increased demand for bulletproof merchandise for children. This year’s back to school list for many parents includes full bulletproof shielding for their kiddos. In fact, sales of such merchandise have increased by nearly 300% since the Parkland shooting in Florida.  

The market is now flooded with ads for these very expensive bullet shields. Priced from $89.99 to $300.00, these backpacks are not cheap. A bulletproof vest and other outer clothing like the picture provided will run anywhere from $550.00 to $1,000.00. The vest pictured here runs $675.00. And this is where we are as a country. The sad reality that school children didn’t already have enough challenges in attending school, now we add this very real added fear.  

Bulletproof products are becoming more and more accessible and can be found in pretty much all the stores that parents are used to doing back to school shopping at.  The way that a backpack with bulletproof shields can protect your child is pictured here: 

As a parent, have you considered bulletproof merchandise for your child?  Would you? I know that schools are taking several precautions to avoid shooting situations at school sites. But the reality is, there is not very much we can do if a person is determined to get into a school, they will find a way.  At the middle school I worked at, my classroom was located at the back of the school close to the faculty parking lot that was fenced and gated.  

The gate was locked during school hours. I cannot count the number of times that the fence was scaled and jumped to gain entrance to the campus. I always left that back door locked, but other teachers in the same section often opened their doors when weather permitted. My point is that a person with ill intentions and a gun could still gain access, and it would take some time before school police or campus security could respond.   

In the event of such an entry, these backpacks could possibly have saved lives. In my classroom, kids typically hung their packs on the backs of the chairs or near their desks.  It’s just really sad that kids have to worry about this kind of thing instead of just stressing about their vocab test.

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Leticia Chavez-Garcia

Leticia Chavez-Garcia is a Mother, Grandmother, former Middle School Teacher, former Member of a School Board of Education and an Education Advocate for hundreds of parents and students in the Inland Empire. Having become a mother at 15, Leticia knows what it’s like to be a single mother trying to navigate the education system. Leticia received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science and Public Administration from California Baptist University and a Masters’ Degree in Education Technology from Cal State Fullerton in her 30’s. Leticia has used her knowledge and experience to help hundreds of families as an Education Advocate in the Inland Empire and currently works as an Education Specialist.

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