Pfaff opposes bill to arm teachers

Today, a bill to arm teachers in the classroom passed out of the Indiana House of Representatives. State Rep. Tonya Pfaff (D-Terre Haute) delivered remarks on the House floor opposing the measure.

House Bill 1177 would establish a handgun training program for teachers using funds from the Indiana safe schools fund and secured schools fund.

“Teaching is a calling,” Pfaff said. “Teachers want to teach, nurture and inspire students. We don’t want to carry guns on our hips and normalize guns in school.

“Let me be clear, I am not anti-gun. I am against teachers carrying guns in their classrooms and on school campuses. I worry about students overpowering their teacher and taking their weapon. I worry about students stealing guns that are in desks. In my classroom, neither my desk nor my filing cabinet has a lock. I worry about what happens when I or another teacher breaks up a fight in the hall and during the struggle, someone grabs my weapon. Most of all, I worry about the message we are sending to our youth that they are not safe at school.

“If we put more guns in schools, the only sure result is that there will be more gun violence in schools. School protection officers have a job, to protect the school. They protect. I teach Algebra. There is no reason to switch our roles.”

House Bill 1177 will now move to the Senate for consideration.