Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

US state moves to allow teachers to ‘be shot’ with pellet guns during school shooting drills

Just a week ago, authorities banned the practice of shooting teachers during the drills after an incident in January

Clark Mindock
New York
Wednesday 10 April 2019 19:48 EDT
Comments
(AFP/Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Just a week after shooting teachers with pellet guns during school shooting drills was banned in Indiana, state politicians are attempting to loosen the restriction.

Citing the need for raw “emotions and adrenaline”, state senators are pushing forward with an amendment that would allow of individuals participating in the drills at schools to hit teachers with projectiles like plastic pellets, if they consent beforehand.

“It’s got to do with reality and making sure they experience the emotions and adrenaline,” state senator Jeff Raatz, the chairman of the state Senate’s education committee, told the Indiana Star.

The amendment effort comes just a week after the practice was banned, and months after teachers at an Indiana elementary school were injured during an active shooter drill.

During that training, two teachers said they had been told there would be airsoft guns during the drills, but did not expect to actually be shot.

The language allowing the use of the non-lethal pellets has been opposed by the Indiana State Teachers Association, which had asked for the ban after the incident at Meadowlawn Elementary School in Monticello, Indiana.

Morgan Ballis, a school safety trainer, told the Star that the training program is counterproductive if it leads to trauma during the shooter drills.

“If we are physically or emotionally creating training scars, then we're not going to meet the training objectives,” she said.

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Active shooter drills have become commonplace in the United States over the past two decades as school attacks have become more and more common.

The issue was thrust recently into the spotlight following the deadly massacre in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed after a gunman opened fire in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Since that shooting, a national debate about the appropriate response has been launched, with several significant victories being seen for gun control advocates at the local level even as federal efforts have stalled.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in