imported post
Opinion Story in today's Daily Press (No author cited)
Firearms follies
Until the law is changed, guns are welcome at public meetings
February 19, 2007
Just because school boards discuss school issues doesn't mean that they enjoy the special protections schools have, legally, when it comes to guns.
Guns generally aren't allowed on school property, public or private. (There are some exceptions.) That means that so long as school boards meet on school property, they can (even must) enforce a no-guns-in-the-meeting policy.
But when they meet off-site, as the York County board does, they must abide by the gun rules that prevail in public places other than schools. And, unfortunately, in Virginia those rules basically allow guns - carried openly or, with a permit, concealed - in public places and at public events. There are a few exceptions, like courthouses, churches and airports.
The attorney general has reiterated this in an opinion sought by York County, which had an issue when a citizen openly wore his gun to a School Board meeting. In short: School board meetings are considered business gatherings for adults, not school functions for children.
The same goes for the meetings of boards of supervisors and city councils, planning commissions and library boards. So long as they're on public property, they can't ban guns.
Localities that don't like it can't do anything about it. The General Assembly doesn't tolerate efforts by localities to regulate guns - sales, ownership, possession, storage or carrying - or carve out gun-free spaces, even if the locality owns those spaces.
In the long run, the solution is to change the law, so localities that want to keep their meetings and their civic buildings or their parks gun free can do so.
In the short run, the solution for school boards is to meet on school property (and hope attendees honor the gun prohibition). If other public bodies want the same protection, they have to move their meetings into schools.
I especially get a kick out the proposed solution:banghead::cuss: