Indianapolis —
Republican state Sen. Jim Tomes says there may growing support for his proposal to train more school teachers in the use of firearms.
Tomes, a gun-rights advocate from Wadesville, floated the idea of arming teachers in a December interview with an Indianapolis TV station when he was considering introducing legislation that would make it easier to do so.
Within days of the story, he heard from teachers and retired educators in Indiana and around the country who supported the idea.
“Two months ago, if we talked about this, we’d have been laughed off the face of the planet,” Tomes said. “Maybe now, there’s an opportunity to express some points of view that people never thought of, or refused to think about.”
What changed the conversation was the Dec. 14 shooting at a Connecticut school that left 20 children and 6 teachers dead.
In the wake of the shooting, Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy, who’s called for tougher gun control, said more guns in schools are not the answer: “Freedom is not a handgun on the hip of every teacher, and security should not mean a guard posted outside every classroom,” Malloy said.
But Tomes is convinced that giving teachers the option of carrying a concealed firearm needs to be part of the national debate over gun control that’s been raging since the Connecticut tragedy. Already, schoolteachers in Ohio, Utah and Texas are signing up for firearms training classes.
“I would not want to make this a mandate in any shape or fashion,” Tomes said. “I wouldn’t want anyone to carry a firearm who’s not comfortable with it ... But for teachers who are willing to go through rigorous training and who are willing to act as the first responders to protect our children, they ought to have the right to do so.”
Tomes said Indiana law already gives schoolteachers that right.
A state law that allows schools to ban weapons from being brought onto their premises exempts anyone who has been employed or authorized by a school “to act as a security guard, perform or participate in a school function, or participate in any other activity authorized by a school.”
Tomes’ hope is that more school corporations in Indiana will designate teachers or other employees to act as security officers and allow them to be armed. He also advocates that those school employees receive intensive training from an organization like the Indiana Firearms Association, whose members are certified firearms instructors.
“I won’t accept an argument that teachers can’t be trained as well as law enforcement officers,” Tomes said, adding that many police officers have had no firearms training before entering the state’s law enforcement academy.
Tomes has faced opposition from the Indiana State Teachers Association. “I don’t think that proliferation of firearms on school property is good for kids,” Indiana State Teachers Association president Nate Schnellenberger told the Associated Press.
Mike Ward, director of the Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police, declined comment on Tomes’ proposal. The association favors proposed legislation, promoted by Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller, that would provide more state dollars to local school corporations to put more police officers in schools.
Tomes doesn’t oppose the legislation but said it doesn’t go far enough. He said most schools will still only be able afford to have one police officer on staff.
“They (police officers) are not super humans just by virtue of having a badge and uniform,” Tomes said. “They are merely mortals like the rest of us, they can only be in one place at one time.”
Maureen Hayden covers the Statehouse for the CNHI newspapers in Indiana. She can be reached at maureen.hayden@indianamediagroup.com.
Local News
January 11, 2013
State Sen. wants teachers armed
Proposal seeks educators trained with firearms.
- Local News
-
-
Digging into learning
Jerry Ousley's 7-year-old grandson David got to pet almost all of the animals at the Silly Safari, including a rabbit named Bunny FuFu, an armadillo and even a 7-foot-long yellow Burmese python. But David said his favorite was Jenna the dog. Ousley
- Strip club case heads to court Tuesday The city of Kokomo and the owners of the Tease strip club are due in court next week, with the city seeking to permanently close the near southside club. City planning officials revoked the club's grandfathered zoning status in December after the own
- Accused doctors seek venue changes Dr. Robert Brewer heads to court today to seek a change of venue for his trial on drug dealing charges, while fellow Wagoner Medical Center physicians Don Wagoner and Marilyn Wagoner will be in court Friday to seek a venue change. The Wagoners, repre
-
Brown is Western's new baseball skipper
RUSSIAVILLE -- For the first time since the Carter administration, Western High School has a new baseball coach. Former Panthers diamond standout Quentin Brown was approved as the new skipper at Western's school board meeting Tuesday night, 6-0. Boar
-
Court lets walk-out fines against House Democrats stand
House Democrats who had to pay more than $100,000 in fines after they walked out of the Indiana Statehouse won’t get the help they sought from the Indiana Supreme Court.
-
A stroll through the gardens
The large, brick house at 802 E. Sycamore St. was built in the 1850s by Howard County's first judge. It's an old house with a lot of history, and it's surrounded by a small forest of old trees. There's a 100-year-old magnolia, 40-year-old tulip pop
- Governor reveals ambitious goals INDIANAPOLIS - Following a directive from Gov. Mike Pence, state agency heads are re-organizing some of their top priorities to better reflect the first-year governor's "roadmap for Indiana" plan for improving the state's economy, infrastructure and
- Maconaquah set to hire armed officer BUNKER HILL -- The Maconaquah School District will hire an armed security officer next school year to patrol the district's four buildings. Maconaquah will be the first district in Miami County to hire an armed officer, also known as a school resourc
-
Not always a bad thing
In town, floods are a mess. All of the roadside litter gets swept up and channeled into flood areas, where it snags and looks disgusting. Flood waters, laden with raw sewage from combined sewer outfalls, gets into walls and flooring, creating a stenc
- Local teen explores wireless technology Eighteen-year-old Cade Meurer has spent years exploring ways to transmit electricity wirelessly - a fairly new concept that's now earning him national recognition. The recent Eastern High School graduate submitted his research and work to Google Scie
- More Local News Headlines
-
James Gandolfini Dies at Age 51
Fmr. TWA Flight 800 Investigators Want New Probe
Raw: Heat, Spurs Back on Court Ahead of Game 7
Dolce and Gabbana Convicted of Tax Evasion
Paris, Prince Depositions Used in Jackson Trial
Coiffed Cattle Get Their Close-up
In Berlin, Obama Channels Cold War Activism
Police at Patriots Tight End's Home for 2nd Day
Fed Suggests Bond Purchases Could Slow
AP: DOJ Broke Own Rules Seizing Phone Records
Raw: Baby White Rhino Debuts at Australian Zoo
Time Lapse: Rebuilding Bridge Post-collapse
Ohio Woman Accuses 3 of Holding Her Captive
Hunt for Ex-Teamster Boss Hoffa's Remains Ends
