Guns at a School Board Meeting? Sure bring em on in!!

By: pitin
Published On: 2/19/2007 2:11:16 PM

It seems that Attorney General Gonzalez is not the only AG in the country that has lost his goddamned mind.

Virginia Attorney General, Bob McDonnell has now declared that bringing holstered guns to a public School Board meeting in Virginia is A-OK.

Reading an article published in the Daily Press about a week ago, Attorney General: Guns OK at York school board meetings we see this

YORK -- School board meetings may focus on schools, but they are not school-sponsored events, and citizens don't have to leave their firearms at the door unless the meeting is held on district property.

That was Virginia Attorney General Robert McDonnell's response to questions from York County Attorney James E. Barnett, who wrote McDonnell at the request of the York School Board.


Now, needless to say, this is ridiculous.  School Board meetings commonly have children testify, thus placing them in harms way.  Not to mention the intimidation factor of having to testify while opposing a man who carries a gun TO A FREAKING SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

Worse yet, this was based on a decision from 2000 that allowed open prayer at school?

McDonnell said he based his decision on a 2000 opinion related to opening meetings with prayers. He wrote that a "school board meeting is a meeting of adults with official business and policy making duties." Students may attend such meetings, but they do so voluntarily.

Comments



Don't they have a right to? (DanG - 2/20/2007 2:27:54 AM)
I'm a strong second amendment supporter.  Even still, I'm not bringing my gun to a School Board meeting.  But unless a law is written that clearly says otherwise, don't gun-owners have the right to bring their guns there?  Just an observation.


that's my point (pitin - 2/20/2007 10:53:01 AM)
it should be illegal.

Don't get me wrong, this is my first diary ever about "gun control" issues, and it's not even a really a gun control thing.

It's a common sense thing, why bring weapons into what are already (usually) heated community events with a high number of students.



McDonnell is only stating the law (Robert23086 - 2/21/2007 12:36:34 PM)
I agree that it is a common sense issue and weapons should not be carried into such meetings.  But, as much as I dislike McDonnell, he has not "lost his goddamned mind". 

Per the article, McDonnell's decision is based on the fact that state law already allows citizens to have firearms in public buildings or at public events, with the exception of schools or school property.



He could easily have interpreted the other way (pitin - 2/21/2007 2:08:17 PM)
I'm sure guns aren't allowed at High School sporting events (even the ones held off school grounds), or he could claim that a school board meeting is considered a "school event", thus makings guns illegal.

I'm no lawyer, but I'm sure there is another way to interpret this issue.



well-regulated militia (Andrea Chamblee - 2/21/2007 3:50:30 PM)
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

If you're on your way to Iraq as a member of our well-regulated militia, I guess you have a right to keep your sidearm (and a musket) with you, if you stop by on your way to your flight.

There aren't any Constitutional scholars who would find a right to carry guns under too many other circumstances.



Andrea, you probably don't like this guy, (DanG - 2/22/2007 12:56:08 PM)
But Charlton Heston spoke for me as well when he said "From my cold, dead haands." 

Being necessary to the security of the free state also means we have to be willing to rise up, with force if necessary, should our own government become tyrannical.

I'm a strong support of Gun-Owner's rights, and I always will be.



Our own tyrannical government (Andrea Chamblee - 2/22/2007 2:18:13 PM)
I'm not saying there's no danger our own government can become tyrannical. In fact, I think it has.  The voters turned away in Ohio and FLA at the last 2 presidential elections are just some disturbing signs of it.

I'm just saying Heston's no Constitutional scholar.  The vast majority of scholars who've published on the editorial process of authors Madison, Jefferson and Hamilton have convinced me that the founders did not intend that there is a right for any individual to get a gun of any power to take anywhere. There can be reasonable time, place and manner restrictions, the most obvious examples inlcude restrictions for felons and children, and airplanes.  After Kennedy was shot with a weapon bought through the mail, the NRA actually agreed and testified before Congress that the government should prohibit mail orders of weapons.  I'd like to see minimum proficiency, as with driver's licenses for cars. (As with driving, if you don't have time to practice, you shouldn't be doing it surrounded by crowds.) The NRA teaches classes, right? They could be a partner in this. They've just figured out they can make more money from donors scared by Charleston Heston then they can by being a responsible source for mandatory training and refresher courses.



Secure the meetings. (Bubby - 2/22/2007 3:46:02 PM)
York County Schoolboard: My suggestion is that you announce that bringing firearms to board meetings is very hazardous to the the public and especially to the bearer; that a disguised, concealed-carry LEO will be attending all board meetings from now on, and any person brandishing a firearm during meetings will be considered de facto a deadly threat, and treated accordingly. In other words, the meetings are guarded, and the possession of personal firearms will only increase the chances of you ending up dead.

Until schoolboard members are afforded the same protections we give judges and other government officials it is entirely appropriate that this sort of jackass intimidation behavior be treated in a proportional manner.