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'Thoughts And Prayers' Not Enough, So Bulletproof Backpacks And Hoodies Are Among The Sold-Out Back-To-School Items This Year

Sadly, buying bulletproof school supplies is the new norm.

It is a sad reality when your back-to-school shopping has to consist of buying bulletproof book bags along with crayons, markers and folders, but unfortunately, that is the era we live in today.

"Parents shouldn't have to buy a bulletproof backpack for their child just to keep them safe in school,” Democratic presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris tweeted in July. “This shouldn't be normal."

Sorrowfully, it’s becoming the new norm.

With the growing number of senseless school shootings and the everyday worry that a child can innocently fall victim of a stray bullet during their daily commute, parents are taking extreme measures (and spending major money) to create a barrier of protection for their school-aged children.

Related | Heartbreaking Interview Of Teen Who Survived Florida School Shooting Tearfully Describing How Her Best Friend Was Fatally Shot Next To Her

Although most “bulletproof” products won't necessarily work against heavy ammunition, it does increase the odds of survival, and parents are scouring mainstream retailers, including Office Depot and Walmart, to get their hands on bullet-resistant products.

In fact, to cater to the growing demand, Tuffypacks, started selling child-friendly bulletproof backpack inserts featuring Disney princesses and Avengers characters, although they later had to halt production after Walt Disney Co. said they didn’t authorize the use of the characters.

According to CBS, in the wake of mass shootings in Ohio and Texas, several manufacturers have seen a 200-300% spike in sales for bulletproof items. Most are already sold out!

In light of this sad reality, we wanted to compile a list of bullet-resistant book bags (and other products), except upon research we found that most items, like Guard Dog’s Proshield 2 Ballistic backpack ($174) and kid’s unisex bulletproof hoodie, Wonder Hoodie ($450), were completely sold out.

Hopefully, these items and others will be restocked soon so parents can go into the school year having a little more peace of mind about the safety of their children.

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