INDIANAPOLIS —Indiana teachers were hit with pellets during an active shooter training at a school, the Indiana State Teachers Association said Wednesday.
Exact details on when or where this happened are unclear, but an ISTA representative testified in front of the Senate Education and Career Development Committee that some of its members were injured by the pellets.
The representative, Gail Zeharalis, said teachers were taken into a room four at a time, told to crouch down, and were shot “execution-style” with the pellets. She said welts appeared on their bodies, and blood was drawn.
Zeharalis’ testimony was to push state lawmakers amend a bill to include limits and safety precautions during active shooter training in schools.
The teachers were “terrified,” but were told not to tell anyone what happened, ISTA says.
A Twitter thread details Zeharalis’ testimony.
“No one in education takes these drills lightly,” one tweet reads. “The risk of harming someone far outweighs whatever added realism one is trying to convey here. ISTA requests an amendment in bill so that more reasonable limits are placed on these drills."
ISTA would like to have educator and student safety addressed in active shooter drills at schools. ISTA heard from members who were injured during a recent training.
— Indiana State Teachers Association (@ISTAmembers) March 20, 2019
During active shooter drill, four teachers at a time were taken into a room, told to crouch down and were shot execution style with some sort of projectiles - resulting in injuries to the extent that welts appeared, and blood was drawn.
— Indiana State Teachers Association (@ISTAmembers) March 20, 2019
The teachers were terrified, but were told not to tell anyone what happened. Teachers waiting outside that heard the screaming were brought into the room four at a time and the shooting process was repeated.
— Indiana State Teachers Association (@ISTAmembers) March 20, 2019
No one in education takes these drills lightly. The risk of harming someone far outweighs whatever added realism one is trying to convey here. ISTA requests an amendment in bill so that more reasonable limits are placed on these drills.
— Indiana State Teachers Association (@ISTAmembers) March 20, 2019
