To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
An 'active shooter' enters a classroom as 'students' take cover during ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate) training at the Harry S. Truman High School in Levittown, Pennsylvania, on November 3, 2015. (Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)
As state and federal lawmakers fail to take meaningful action to confront America's gun violence epidemic, Indiana elementary school teachers were reportedly shot "execution-style" with plastic pellets in an active shooter drill led by law enforcement.
"Outrageous. Unacceptable. We don't have to live like this."
--Moms Demand Action
According to the Indianapolis Star, several teachers at a time "were asked by local law enforcement to kneel down against a classroom wall before being sprayed across their backs with plastic pellets without warning."
"They told us, 'This is what happens if you just cower and do nothing,'" a teacher who experienced the January drill told the Indy Star. "They shot all of us across our backs. I was hit four times. It hurt so bad."
Journalist David Klion contrasted Indiana's active shooter drill with New Zealand's rapid and decisive response to the Christchurch massacre:
During testimony before the state's Senate Education Committee this week, officials from the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA)--which is demanding an end to drills in which teachers are shot with projectiles of any kind--said educators were left with bruises and welts from the drill.
In some cases, according to the ISTA, the pellets drew blood.
\u201cDuring 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.\u201d— Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) (@Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA)) 1553103391
\u201cThe 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.\u201d— Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) (@Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA)) 1553103391
Reacting with horror to Indiana teachers' testimony, gun control advocates characterized the state's active shooter drill as an "outrageous" example of what America's educators are being forced to accept as one school shooting after another takes place without any action from Congress.
"Active-shooter training has become a macabre ritual for educators in America's public school system," notedRolling Stone's Tim Dickinson.
"We don't have to live like this," Moms Demand Action declared, calling for "sensible solutions to the gun violence crisis."
\u201cOutrageous. Unacceptable. \n\nWe don\u2019t have to live like this. Join the millions of Americans demanding SENSIBLE solutions to the gun violence crisis. Text READY to 644-33 to volunteer with Moms Demand Action. https://t.co/cY5kW8Dge7\u201d— Moms Demand Action (@Moms Demand Action) 1553209515
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) listed several concrete legislative step that could be taken to confront mass shootings "instead of training children, teachers, houses of faith, and concertgoers to prep for being shot":
\u201cYou know, instead of training children, teachers, houses of faith, & concertgoers to prep for being shot, we could just:\n\n-Pass Universal Background checks (#HR8!)\n-Disarm domestic abusers\n-Mandate safe storage\n-Ban bump stocks, semiautos, & high cap mags designed to kill people\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1553219423
Praising the swift action this week in New Zealand to ban assault rifles, Kris Brown, the president of the gun control advocacy group Brady, said Thursday it is now well past time for U.S. lawmakers to follow suit.
"We have an opportunity to pass common-sense legislation that will expand background checks, enact extreme risk laws, and ban assault weapons at home," Brown said. "We must do so immediately. We must make sure that no community feels the pain that Christchurch, Parkland, Las Vegas, Orlando, Sutherland Springs, Sandy Hook, and so many others have been through. We too must take action, not sides."
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
As state and federal lawmakers fail to take meaningful action to confront America's gun violence epidemic, Indiana elementary school teachers were reportedly shot "execution-style" with plastic pellets in an active shooter drill led by law enforcement.
"Outrageous. Unacceptable. We don't have to live like this."
--Moms Demand Action
According to the Indianapolis Star, several teachers at a time "were asked by local law enforcement to kneel down against a classroom wall before being sprayed across their backs with plastic pellets without warning."
"They told us, 'This is what happens if you just cower and do nothing,'" a teacher who experienced the January drill told the Indy Star. "They shot all of us across our backs. I was hit four times. It hurt so bad."
Journalist David Klion contrasted Indiana's active shooter drill with New Zealand's rapid and decisive response to the Christchurch massacre:
During testimony before the state's Senate Education Committee this week, officials from the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA)--which is demanding an end to drills in which teachers are shot with projectiles of any kind--said educators were left with bruises and welts from the drill.
In some cases, according to the ISTA, the pellets drew blood.
\u201cDuring 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.\u201d— Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) (@Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA)) 1553103391
\u201cThe 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.\u201d— Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) (@Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA)) 1553103391
Reacting with horror to Indiana teachers' testimony, gun control advocates characterized the state's active shooter drill as an "outrageous" example of what America's educators are being forced to accept as one school shooting after another takes place without any action from Congress.
"Active-shooter training has become a macabre ritual for educators in America's public school system," notedRolling Stone's Tim Dickinson.
"We don't have to live like this," Moms Demand Action declared, calling for "sensible solutions to the gun violence crisis."
\u201cOutrageous. Unacceptable. \n\nWe don\u2019t have to live like this. Join the millions of Americans demanding SENSIBLE solutions to the gun violence crisis. Text READY to 644-33 to volunteer with Moms Demand Action. https://t.co/cY5kW8Dge7\u201d— Moms Demand Action (@Moms Demand Action) 1553209515
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) listed several concrete legislative step that could be taken to confront mass shootings "instead of training children, teachers, houses of faith, and concertgoers to prep for being shot":
\u201cYou know, instead of training children, teachers, houses of faith, & concertgoers to prep for being shot, we could just:\n\n-Pass Universal Background checks (#HR8!)\n-Disarm domestic abusers\n-Mandate safe storage\n-Ban bump stocks, semiautos, & high cap mags designed to kill people\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1553219423
Praising the swift action this week in New Zealand to ban assault rifles, Kris Brown, the president of the gun control advocacy group Brady, said Thursday it is now well past time for U.S. lawmakers to follow suit.
"We have an opportunity to pass common-sense legislation that will expand background checks, enact extreme risk laws, and ban assault weapons at home," Brown said. "We must do so immediately. We must make sure that no community feels the pain that Christchurch, Parkland, Las Vegas, Orlando, Sutherland Springs, Sandy Hook, and so many others have been through. We too must take action, not sides."
As state and federal lawmakers fail to take meaningful action to confront America's gun violence epidemic, Indiana elementary school teachers were reportedly shot "execution-style" with plastic pellets in an active shooter drill led by law enforcement.
"Outrageous. Unacceptable. We don't have to live like this."
--Moms Demand Action
According to the Indianapolis Star, several teachers at a time "were asked by local law enforcement to kneel down against a classroom wall before being sprayed across their backs with plastic pellets without warning."
"They told us, 'This is what happens if you just cower and do nothing,'" a teacher who experienced the January drill told the Indy Star. "They shot all of us across our backs. I was hit four times. It hurt so bad."
Journalist David Klion contrasted Indiana's active shooter drill with New Zealand's rapid and decisive response to the Christchurch massacre:
During testimony before the state's Senate Education Committee this week, officials from the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA)--which is demanding an end to drills in which teachers are shot with projectiles of any kind--said educators were left with bruises and welts from the drill.
In some cases, according to the ISTA, the pellets drew blood.
\u201cDuring 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.\u201d— Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) (@Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA)) 1553103391
\u201cThe 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.\u201d— Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) (@Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA)) 1553103391
Reacting with horror to Indiana teachers' testimony, gun control advocates characterized the state's active shooter drill as an "outrageous" example of what America's educators are being forced to accept as one school shooting after another takes place without any action from Congress.
"Active-shooter training has become a macabre ritual for educators in America's public school system," notedRolling Stone's Tim Dickinson.
"We don't have to live like this," Moms Demand Action declared, calling for "sensible solutions to the gun violence crisis."
\u201cOutrageous. Unacceptable. \n\nWe don\u2019t have to live like this. Join the millions of Americans demanding SENSIBLE solutions to the gun violence crisis. Text READY to 644-33 to volunteer with Moms Demand Action. https://t.co/cY5kW8Dge7\u201d— Moms Demand Action (@Moms Demand Action) 1553209515
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) listed several concrete legislative step that could be taken to confront mass shootings "instead of training children, teachers, houses of faith, and concertgoers to prep for being shot":
\u201cYou know, instead of training children, teachers, houses of faith, & concertgoers to prep for being shot, we could just:\n\n-Pass Universal Background checks (#HR8!)\n-Disarm domestic abusers\n-Mandate safe storage\n-Ban bump stocks, semiautos, & high cap mags designed to kill people\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1553219423
Praising the swift action this week in New Zealand to ban assault rifles, Kris Brown, the president of the gun control advocacy group Brady, said Thursday it is now well past time for U.S. lawmakers to follow suit.
"We have an opportunity to pass common-sense legislation that will expand background checks, enact extreme risk laws, and ban assault weapons at home," Brown said. "We must do so immediately. We must make sure that no community feels the pain that Christchurch, Parkland, Las Vegas, Orlando, Sutherland Springs, Sandy Hook, and so many others have been through. We too must take action, not sides."
