Oh, deer! Young buck inside classroom surprises Tennessee elementary staff
The school said the deer was taken off campus before students realized they almost had a new classmate
Young buck breaks into Tennessee elementary school
A young deer surprised staff when it turned up at an elementary school in Springfield, Tennessee, on Nov. 23.
SPRINGFIELD, Tenn. – Reading, writing, arithmetic and rut.
Educators at one Tennessee elementary school were teaching the four Rs last week after a young deer surprised the staff inside a classroom.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency posted a video on Nov. 23 showing the white-tailed buck standing innocently in a ransacked classroom at Westside Elementary School in Springfield.
Officer Kaleb Stratton was called to the school to remove the animal who had apparently broken his way in through an emergency exit.
"So, how’s everyone else’s morning going today?" Stratton said in the video.
![]()
Image 1 of 3A young deer surprised staff when it turned up at an elementary school in Springfield, Tennessee, on Nov. 23. (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)
![]()
Image 2 of 3Officer Kaleb Stratton was called to the school to remove the individual, who had apparently broken his way in through an emergency exit. (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)
![]()
Image 3 of 3The school said the deer was taken off campus before students realized they almost had a new classmate. (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)
The deer, which was about 2.5 to 3.5 years old, was in good spirits, the wildlife agency said.
"Well, he tried to enroll, but we turned him down," the school said on social media. "He was missing proofs of address and shot records."
Stratton was able to escort the buck off the campus before the students were able to welcome their new classmate face-to-face.