During a recent Florida school shooting at Florida State University, students used an unexpected tool to protect themselves—chewing gum. As bullets echoed through the halls, these young people acted fast. With no time and limited resources, they stuck paper over classroom windows using gum to hide from the shooter’s view.
Their actions were more than just clever—they were potentially life-saving.
When instinct meets innovation
In a world where school shootings are tragically too common, stories like this highlight a painful reality—and a surprising resilience. These students didn’t wait for help. They made their own.
Blocking windows during an active shooter event is a well-known safety tactic. Law enforcement experts often advise schools to limit visibility to classrooms, which can deter attackers and give students a better chance to stay hidden. The gum-and-paper trick wasn’t just creative—it was effective.
As crisis expert Dr. Jaclyn Schildkraut from the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium puts it, “Obstructing a shooter’s view can be a key defensive move” (source).
What does this mean for the average person?
It means this: in the face of unthinkable violence, our kids are learning to become battlefield engineers. With school shootings on the rise, students are forced to improvise survival strategies out of snack drawer items. This isn’t just a student issue. It’s a societal failure.
But here’s the twist—they still did it. With chewing gum and sheer instinct, they bought themselves time. They found cover. They showed courage no lesson plan ever taught them.
Also Read: Shocking Messages Before the FSU Shooting: What Drove Phoenix Ikner to Take Action?
A stick of gum—and a whole lot of grit
Chewing gum, usually banned in classrooms, suddenly became a tool for protection. The irony? Something once confiscated by teachers helped save lives.
It’s easy to laugh at that, until you realize how chillingly common it’s becoming for kids to think this way. What does it say about our schools when students start looking at their lunchbox like it’s a tactical kit?
Yet in their fast thinking, we also find hope. It shows that even in chaos, creativity and courage thrive.
Why it matters now more than ever
The Florida school shooting is a stark reminder that school safety plans need more than drills and locks. They need flexibility, real-world thinking, and student input. Emergency preparedness must go beyond theory—it needs to reflect what students actually experience in real time.
Mental health support is another missing piece. Schools often focus on physical safety, but the psychological toll of active shooter drills and real-life incidents can be just as damaging. According to the National Association of School Psychologists, trauma-informed practices and accessible counseling are essential parts of any school safety strategy .
Also Read: Indian student, 21, killed by stray bullet at bus stop in Canada’s Hamilton
Moving from fear to foresight
So, how can schools evolve?
- Integrate creative problem-solving into safety training.
- Encourage teacher-student collaboration in crisis simulations.
- Stock classrooms with affordable emergency kits—paper, tape, even gum.
- Boost funding for school counselors and trauma support.
Small moves. Big impact.
Final thoughts
The students at Florida State University didn’t have armor, alarms, or drills to rely on in those terrifying moments. But they had something else: presence of mind.
The fact that they turned chewing gum into a shield speaks volumes—not just about the threat they faced, but the brilliance with which they faced it. It’s time we listened.
If a stick of gum can save a life, imagine what actual reform could do.
Also Read: Florida Campus Turns Into a Crime Scene — What Really Happened?
