Teacher suspended after carrying pistol for protection from violent husband

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Teacher caught with gun at school

Olympia-area teacher on leave after bringing gun and bullets to school

Olympia-Area Teacher Brings Gun, Bullets To School

Feedback from the public includes these comments:
Do you think Mary should be punished for carrying a pistol for protection? Leave your comments here.

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She was fired and probably won't get a job teaching in Washington again. We really need to do something about our schools imho.

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She couldn't get an Emergency Carry Permit from the Sheriff? If she had asked the Sheriff for a ECP and said she was a teacher she may have received authorization to carry at a school. Of course, she might still have been fired from the school, but it might have saved her any legal trouble.

Carrying in a school is like carrying in church, it's not PC, but it has been proven to be a smart thing to do.

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I don't think Washington law provides any exceptions for non-LEO employees to carry on school grounds, does it?

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No, a parent going to or from a students classroom to pick them up may (with cpl) carry but other peasant carry is verboten. In -many- schools even LEOs make a point of leaving their lifepreserver in the car before entering. (defintely in Kirkland, Bellevue, Seattle and Renton SDs, that I know of). -Boyd IANAL all IMO

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/

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Boyd wrote:

No, a parent going to or from a students classroom to pick them up may (with cpl) carry

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The way I read the RCW, it appears to me that a parent picking up or dropping off a student may carry with a CPL outside of the school buildings (driving in a car, or walking to the front door) but may NEVER enter the building carrying. Furthermore, I see no exception for teachers. It looks to me like you cannot legallycarry a weapon into a school building for personal protection.

I'm talking about RCW 9.41.280, subsection 5. It says that you may never carry in the building, and it explicitly lists which exceptions apply. The exception for CPL holders is not one of them.

If you are looking at another section, please share it. If you read something differently, please explain why you interpret it that way. Do you agree with my reading of the WA State law?

--Sandy (WA)

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Sandy, I believe you are correct.

I had to read the thing about 10 times as it is so convoluted. I'll bet if you asked the people who wrote the law what they really meant, that they wouldn't be able to tell you.

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Sandy, IANAL either, but I think you're misreading the statute. Section (1) makes in unlawful to bring a firearm onto school premises. Section (3) states exceptions to section (1). 3.e states the exemption for CPL holders while dropping off or picking up students, 3.h exempts law enforcement officers.

Note particularly that firstly, (3) doesn't restrict the exemption to parking lots/vehicles only and secondly that the following sections show that the legislature (believe it or not) did know how to clearly indicate when it wanted to treat firearms in vehicles differently:

(f) Any nonstudent at least eighteen years of age legally in possession of a firearm or dangerous weapon that is secured within an attended vehicle or concealed from view within a locked unattended vehicle while conducting legitimate business at the school;

(g) Any nonstudent at least eighteen years of age who is in lawful possession of an unloaded firearm, secured in a vehicle while conducting legitimate business at the school;

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EDIT: Oh, wait: (5) does seem to take away parts of what (3) grants. Yeah, that is convoluted after all.

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[size=+1]Some schools reopen in Thai south, teachers may carry guns[/size]
English/People's Daily Online/Xinhua ^
Schools in parts of Thailand's violence-plagued southern province Pattani reopened Monday. Teachers were allowed to take weapons to protect their own safety.
According to Thai News Agency, schools in seven districts of Pattani, one of the three southernmost provinces in Thai south troubled by insurgent unrest, including the provincial seat resumed classes Monday after a one-week closure from Nov. 27 due to frequent attacks on teachers.
However, more than 100 schools in remote and violence-prone areas in the province remain closed. The teachers' confederation in Pattani said all schools in 12 districts will open on Wednesday.
School reopening depends on the decision of local school administrators. Some educational institutions may remain closed if they are not ready to resume classes due to lack of confidence in the government's ability to provide for the safety of teachers and staff, the report said.
Education Minister Wijit Srisaarn said he believed self-defense measures, including allowing teachers to carry guns, will be effective in protecting the teachers. The educators themselves will also help security officials look after their colleagues, according to Wijit.
He said the ministry has already increased teachers' allowance to boost their morale and promoted temporary teachers to officially become civil servants. Only a small number of teachers have applied for relocation, he said.