A Gunman Would Be Stopped in His Tracks by This Teacher's Simple Invention

After the rash of school shootings in the United States over the past decade and a half, some teachers have been taking action to think up creative and life-saving methods for keeping their classrooms safe.

Consider Celisa Edwards, a seventh-grade teacher at Dacula Middle School in Dacula, Georgia, who was profoundly impacted after the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults — so impacted, in fact, that she created a safety tool to help secure classrooms.

"We don't want an intruder to come on any campus. We want our children to be safe," Edwards told WGCL-TV.

Image source: WGLC-TV

Edwards recalled losing sleep after the Sandy Hook massacre, trying to think up ways to ensure her pupils' protection.

"I tossed and turned night after night and it came to my mind. It's simple," she said. "Just make it so they can't get in."

Edwards designed the Portable Affordable Lockdown System, also known as PALS. Running for about $70, it's a steel rope encased in plastic that can be placed on a door handle and latched to the eye bolt of a classroom wall, according to WGCL.

She said it's possible for school staff to secure a door in just seconds to keep an intruder from entering.

"I want this to be in every single school or classroom in America because it’s the only thing that’s quick and easy," Edwards told the Gwinnett Daily Post. "Is it bulletproof? I don’t know. I know it’s better than a file cabinet and a desk. It’s better than putting myself and my children at risk."

See how it works below:

This device is similar to "The Sleeve," another tool created by teachers for the same purpose.

(H/T: WGCL-TV)