Teacher gives birth to girl in class

EULESS, Texas -- An elementary school teacher gave her 3- and 4-year-old students an unexpected lesson when she gave birth in her classroom.

Rhonda Schafer was able to get the early development class out of the Bear Creek Elementary School classroom on Monday and then called for the school nurse.

The nurse arrived just in time to help Schafer as she gave birth behind her desk at about 2:30 p.m., about five minutes after the first sign of labor. They wrapped the baby girl in a co-worker's sweater, school librarian Cynda Mast said.

The medics arrived in time to cut the cord, Fire Department spokeswoman Christine Cox said. "It was a very nice, quiet environment, if you can imagine that at an elementary school," she said, adding that mother and daughter were in "perfect health."

Earlier that morning, Schafer, who also has two sons, had told Mast that she was due in about a week or whenever the baby was ready.

"I guess she got ready this afternoon," Mast said.