Bear Breaks Into Calif. Classroom While Teacher Named 'Salmon' Preps For School Year

Mar. 15, 2025

A stock photo of a brown bear.Photo:Getty

Getty

This bear really likes Salmon!On Tuesday, Aug 6., a teacher named Elaine Salmon was preparing her classroom at Peak to Peak Elementary School, located an hour south of Bakersfield, Calif., when she briefly left the space unattended to make some copies. Those moments away were enough time for a bear to find its way into Salmon’s classroom.Salmon, whoteaches third through fifth gradeaccording to the school’s website, returned to the room and saw the bear running towards her. She closed the classroom door, locking her cell phone inside with the bear.“I went over, went back to the office, closed the door, locked the bear in there, and then I went back to the office to call my husband, Ian,” Salmon told local ABC News affiliateKERO.“My first thought was, is it gonna do any damage? I have a brand new floor, and I already have my decorations up,” she added to the outlet.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Luckily, the bear only got into one of the classroom’s earthquake emergency kits.The teacher told KERO that the school, which happens to be called"Home of the Bears," has never had an incident with bears while students were around. When in session, the school has safety measures against curious bears.Salmon went to an office and called her husband, Ian Sawrey, to ask for help removing the bear from her classroom.Upon arrival, Sawrey banged on the door and windows, capturing the bear’s attention. Once the bear noticed them, Sawrey opened the classroom door to allow the bear to exit.The bear ran out of the classroom through the open door and back into the woods. Salmon and Sawrey were not harmed during the incident.Sawrey managed to record footage of the encounter, including shots of the bear wandering between desks and bookshelves, sniffing school supplies, and climbing over beanbag chairs.Local CBS news stationsWBDJ7andLocal 12also reported the news.This isn’t the first time a bear has wandered somewhere it doesn’t belong. In June, abear entered a Sierra Madre, Calif. kitchenwhile someone was doing their dishes. Also in June,a mama bear and her cubs balanced themselvesas they walked along a homeowner’s fence in Boulder, Colorado.

This bear really likes Salmon!

On Tuesday, Aug 6., a teacher named Elaine Salmon was preparing her classroom at Peak to Peak Elementary School, located an hour south of Bakersfield, Calif., when she briefly left the space unattended to make some copies. Those moments away were enough time for a bear to find its way into Salmon’s classroom.

Salmon, whoteaches third through fifth gradeaccording to the school’s website, returned to the room and saw the bear running towards her. She closed the classroom door, locking her cell phone inside with the bear.

“I went over, went back to the office, closed the door, locked the bear in there, and then I went back to the office to call my husband, Ian,” Salmon told local ABC News affiliateKERO.

“My first thought was, is it gonna do any damage? I have a brand new floor, and I already have my decorations up,” she added to the outlet.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Luckily, the bear only got into one of the classroom’s earthquake emergency kits.

The teacher told KERO that the school, which happens to be called"Home of the Bears," has never had an incident with bears while students were around. When in session, the school has safety measures against curious bears.

Salmon went to an office and called her husband, Ian Sawrey, to ask for help removing the bear from her classroom.

Upon arrival, Sawrey banged on the door and windows, capturing the bear’s attention. Once the bear noticed them, Sawrey opened the classroom door to allow the bear to exit.

The bear ran out of the classroom through the open door and back into the woods. Salmon and Sawrey were not harmed during the incident.

Sawrey managed to record footage of the encounter, including shots of the bear wandering between desks and bookshelves, sniffing school supplies, and climbing over beanbag chairs.

Local CBS news stationsWBDJ7andLocal 12also reported the news.

This isn’t the first time a bear has wandered somewhere it doesn’t belong. In June, abear entered a Sierra Madre, Calif. kitchenwhile someone was doing their dishes. Also in June,a mama bear and her cubs balanced themselvesas they walked along a homeowner’s fence in Boulder, Colorado.

source: people.com