Indiana Teachers Gain Qualified Immunity from Frivolous Lawsuits

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels recently signed into law a bill that provides teachers with “qualified immunity” from frivolous lawsuits as a result of disciplinary measures. “Education cannot start until disorder stops,” Daniels said. Effective July 1, teachers will also receive defense from the state attorney general if a lawsuit is filed against them.

The new law will require schools to conduct criminal history background checks before hiring new teachers.

The bill became Daniel’s top non-economic priority after he witnessed disobedience in hundreds of classrooms all over the state and spoke with teachers who said they feared legal backlash from taking harsher disciplinary actions.