ATLANTA — One day after the mass shooting that left students and teachers dead in Uvalde, Texas, teachers in Georgia were wondering about the safety plans that were in place at their own schools.
Top of mind for Tyehesha Alexander was increasing security at her school.
"I'm an elementary teacher and we don't have a resource officer at our school and I feel like in times like this we need somebody here to help increase the safety, the surveillance, and the security of the school", she said.
Alexander, a computer science teacher at Susie B. Atkinson Elementary in Griffin, said her school put an active shooter plan in place years ago after another school shooting. If she were put in that position, she said she knows what she would do.
"My first mind is going to always be to protect the children at all costs," she said.
"My heart truly breaks for each and every one of the teachers, the students, the families that were involved is truly a tragedy."
A similar sentiment was shared by Verdaillia Turner. The president of the Georgia Federation of Teachers said she's heard mixed emotions about shootings that take place in schools.
"Teachers are telling me that they are sitting ducks. Others say that they're becoming desensitized because they're constantly taking weapons or some type of gun away from students weekly in our schools," Turner said.
She said gaps in security present their own problems when it comes to concerns about school security. She noted some districts, like Clayton County, have taken steps to improve school safety, but there's more work to be done.
"People could get into the building in all kinds of ways. Sometimes there was no one even monitoring the metal detectors," Turner said.
Both women were left with one chilling thought that Alexander repeated during her interview.
"It could have been any of us. It could be my school," said Alexander.