“That is clearly the craziest thing I ever found in a backpack.”
First Grader Brings Pet Snake to School in His Backpack
It was only the second day of school when first grade teacher Jeannette Zirbel got the surprise of her 30-year career. While students were at lunch, she was cleaning out backpacks — as many kids bring Clorox wipes, tissues, and other supplies to donate to the classroom.
One backpack, however, was unusually heavy. Zirbel assumed it was full of supplies. Instead, when she unzipped it, she came face-to-face with a pair of eyes.
“I screamed, and my first grade teacher friend and I zipped up the backpack and took it to the office,” Zirbel told The Dodo. “The staff in the office and my principal were in disbelief, too.”
Meet Aphrodite, the Backpack Passenger
Somehow, a little boy in Zirbel’s class had managed to bring his pet snake, Aphrodite, to school without his parents knowing.
Earlier that day, the boy had been talking about his snake — but Zirbel had no idea Aphrodite was sitting in the classroom the whole time.
“This will mark my 30th year of teaching, and that is clearly the craziest thing I ever found in a backpack,” she said.
Mom’s Shock and a Snake’s Safety
The principal quickly contacted the child’s mom, Samia Rhine, who rushed to the school. Her first concern was making sure Aphrodite was OK. Since snakes need warmth, the pet had grown cold while tucked inside the backpack.
Her second concern: having a serious talk with her son.
“I said, ‘You cannot take this snake to school,’” Rhine explained in a TikTok video. “People are scared of snakes!”
Lessons Learned (For Everyone)
Rhine made sure her son apologized to Zirbel — and she apologized, too. She’s still not sure how he managed to sneak the snake past both parents, but she promised it won’t happen again.
Thankfully, Aphrodite is safe and sound back at home, where she belongs — and Zirbel now has the funniest “first week of school” story she’ll ever tell.
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A first grader surprised his teacher by sneaking his pet snake, Aphrodite, into school inside his backpack. Here’s how the hilarious (and shocking) situation unfolded.