Bloomington, CA—August 17 started like any normal school day. Buses and cars arrived at Gerald A. Smith Elementary School to drop students off. And assistant principal Tiffany Davis conducted her typical duties guiding cars through the school’s drop off zone.

Suddenly, screaming ensued as a herd of goats rushed into the oncoming traffic. Sarah Rodriguez, the school librarian, was the first on the scene. She signaled Davis to assist with the goats, who then grabbed the herd by their horns and guided them out of the driveway.

Due to the goat’s numbers however, there were too many to deal with, and crowds of parents and students were already entering the school. 

“We had people screaming and jumping onto signs to avoid the incoming herd,” Davis said. 

Eventually, after the staff’s efforts to contain the goats proved ineffective, the goats settled in. They began headbutting each other and even mating in front of cars. 

Parents and staff started luring the goats onto patches of grass in hopes of allowing them to get out of the way, but the situation escalated even further: The goats tried budging their way into the school. 

Immediately every adult tried their best to close the gate as students tried to get in.

The situation finally calmed when a woman claiming to be the goats owner used a lead to herd the goats with the help of nearby parents. 

Afterwards, the day went on with everyone buzzing about the morning’s insanity. 

One parent remarked to principal Angela Chavez, “Are you having lamb chops for dinner?” Chavez also shared that teachers used the experience to teach their students about goats. When one student learned that a young goat is called a “kid,” they blurted, “You guys just kicked a bunch of kids out of school!”

The surreal experience definitely brought a spirit of joy to the campus.

Tiffany Davis gave her final insight: “Working in education, you always have to be on your toes. Nothing is ever normal, It was just one of ‘those’ experiences.”