The Indiana Democratic legislators who fled their home state Feb. 22 are speaking more about the reasons that caused them to leave the state capitol in Indianapolis.

With much of the media focus on the high profile bills aimed toward unions in Indiana, the lawmakers explained there were many more bills and reasons behind their action.

Rep. Sheila Klinker, D-West Lafayette, said legislation focused on restricting same-sex marriage and immigration was a concern for her.

“It is just like Arizona’s, maybe a little worse, as I’ve read it, in addition to what we think are overreaching agendas that are really negative for the state of Indiana,” she said.

One major concern raised by all four legislators was education reform in the state or “a thrust against public education,” as Klinker said.

Vernon Smith, House Democrat and professor at Indiana University, said in one particular bill, if a school falls into a weaker category, the state superintendent can appoint a management team.

“The management team can get rid of the principal and get rid of the teachers,” he said. “They don’t have to replace them with teachers. They can get them off the street if they think they can do a good job.”

Smith said the Republican Party in Indiana was attempting to “erode our base.”

“They know that our base is made of teachers and union workers. So the attack is on those two entities,” he said. “(They are) blaming the teachers for everything that’s happening in education and then the unions because they want to say that the middle class is overpaid.”

Rep. Tim Brown, R-Crawfordsville, said he was disappointed his colleagues are not in Indianapolis.

“I’m disappointed that we can’t get the work of the citizens of Indiana done that we are elected to do,” he said.

Brown added that the Republicans’ agenda was one that the citizens of Indiana voted for in the 2010 elections.

“That was education reform — to give kids the opportunity to excel and to put the best teachers in the classroom and to spur jobs and economic activities,” Brown said. Another Democratic legislator, Clyde Kersey, said the real problem with this session was the “very little cooperation out of the Republican Party.”

“They have ignored our amendments and our participation in the whole process,” Kersey said.

Kersey added the Republicans brought back legislation that was previously assumed to be dead, up on the very last day when committees are to meet.

“Instead of discussion, it was amend and vote only. We decided that we would like to have the public have more input into these bills, so the public would know what was coming down,” Kersey said.

Klinker said she thought this year had been a “tough” one.

“We were 52-48 in the house (last year), we’re now 60-40 so we have to fight for everything we get. And that’s part of the reason why we’re here,” she said. “Overall, we are a very unified group, and we will stay here as long as it takes.”