A word of appreciation

kparker · Oct 1, 2012

I was just at Clark's Creek Park in Puyallup, to watch a high school tennis match. (How boring was it? Oh, let's not get distracted by that!!!)

Anyway, while I was there I noticed this sign (see attached) and the creative use of white electrical tape on it. Seriously, thanks to all the various folks here who have helped hold our local officials' feet to the fire and make encouraging signs like this possible!

DCKilla · Oct 1, 2012

I was wondering if RCW 9.41.280 applies for the tennis courts and the spectator benches.

Possessing dangerous weapons on school facilities — penalty — exceptions.

(1) It is unlawful for a person to carry onto, or to possess on, public or private elementary or secondary school premises, school-provided transportation, or areas of facilities while being used exclusively by public or private schools:

(a) Any firearm

davidmcbeth · Oct 1, 2012

Its correction tape....nice job on it too

BigDave · Oct 1, 2012

kparker said:
I was just at Clark's Creek Park in Puyallup, to watch a high school tennis match. (How boring was it? Oh, let's not get distracted by that!!!)

Anyway, while I was there I noticed this sign (see attached) and the creative use of white electrical tape on it. Seriously, thanks to all the various folks here who have helped hold our local officials' feet to the fire and make encouraging signs like this possible!

high school tennis match. Really, you carried at a high school athletic event! :banghead:
If the high school athletic event was not being held then the corrected sign would be correct but when a high school athletic event is being held, NO FIREARMS.....

http://www.atg.wa.gov/AGOOpinions/opinion.aspx?section=topic&id=9238

BRIEF ANSWER

We conclude that the term "used exclusively" refers to uses where the school or schools have sole possession, control, or use of an area of a facility. It is not limited by the duration of the use.

The entire park would not apply though the tennis courts being exclusively used by the high school would be a prohibited area.

Ajetpilot · Oct 1, 2012

BigDave said:
high school tennis match. Really, you carried at a high school athletic event! :banghead:
If the high school athletic event was not being held then the corrected sign would be correct but when a high school athletic event is being held, NO FIREARMS.....

http://www.atg.wa.gov/AGOOpinions/opinion.aspx?section=topic&id=9238

The entire park would not apply though the tennis courts being exclusively used by the high school would be a prohibited area.

He did not say in the OP that he was carrying. He only commented on the sign.

Vitaeus · Oct 1, 2012

..and if he was outside the fence for the tennis court, he was in a public park doing nothing illegal. I could see if he was sitting in the bleachers in a baseball stadium, the school prohibition would apply. Plus I doubt they bothered to follow .280, to wit

(7) "GUN-FREE ZONE" signs shall be posted around school facilities giving warning of the prohibition of the possession of firearms on school grounds.

BigDave · Oct 1, 2012

Vitaeus said:
..and if he was outside the fence for the tennis court, he was in a public park doing nothing illegal. I could see if he was sitting in the bleachers in a baseball stadium, the school prohibition would apply. Plus I doubt they bothered to follow .280, to wit

(7) "GUN-FREE ZONE" signs shall be posted around school facilities giving warning of the prohibition of the possession of firearms on school grounds.

This seems to be more of splitting hairs sort of speak and when it comes down to it arguing this in the courts there is a greater chance of being found guilty as it being apart of the restricted area, toss the coin or many many coins?

As to section 7 of RCW 9.41.280 is only requiring school facilities not areas used by schools for athletics events as this.

Stretch · Oct 1, 2012

I didn't read where OP was carrying a firearm.

:banghead: ...read the post again.

Sent by Droid

sirpuma · Oct 1, 2012

Not only did the OP not specify whether or not they were carrying (OC or CC) they also didn't specify whether or not the ENTIRE tennis court area was closed off for the school. There are four (4) courts in the fenced area. If the school was only using one or two of them and the others were open to the general public then RCW 9.41.280 wouldn't be applicable anyway.

And from looking at the satellite image from Google Earth, I'd say there wasn't much room inside the fences for a set of stands for the crowd. There may have been stands OUTSIDE the fenced area. Again, something not specified in the OP's topic.

People really do need to read a post and not try and put things into it that aren't.

kparker · Oct 2, 2012

Yes indeed, not interested in being a test case for anything, so the carry piece was securely locked in the car.

The team took over the entire court area; just one doubles match (plus tie-breaker) that we watched (our foreign exchange student is on the team) took more than an hour. And there are no stands, spectators just sit on the slightly-sloped grass near the courts. So there's absolutely no place where you could specify "here's where the exclusively-used-by-the-school" part starts, other than the fenced-in courts themselves, but as already stated I'll pass on becoming a test case, at least today.

Anyway, back to the original point: thanks y'all!

amlevin · Oct 3, 2012

As I see it, unless the school/team put admittance controls on the area of the bleachers the term "exclusive" wouldn't apply. If they put up some tape and restricted entrance strictly to participants and invited attendee's then maybe the "exclusive use" argument might hold up.

As for watching tennis? I would rather watch paint dry or hair grow. Almost as boring as Golf on TV (unless John Daly's playing while drunk and he ends up throwing a club or two in the water hazards

)

hermannr · Oct 3, 2012

Remember, that is EXCLUSIVE use by the school. I hardly think that a tennis match at a PUBLIC park is included...Just like when a school takes the kids to the zoo...that does not make the zoo automatically off limits for carry...because it is NOT excliusive use of the zoo by the school.

gogodawgs · Oct 3, 2012

amlevin said:
As I see it, unless the school/team put admittance controls on the area of the bleachers the term "exclusive" wouldn't apply. If they put up some tape and restricted entrance strictly to participants and invited attendee's then maybe the "exclusive use" argument might hold up.

As for watching tennis? I would rather watch paint dry or hair grow. Almost as boring as Golf on TV (unless John Daly's playing while drunk and he ends up throwing a club or two in the water hazards)

Correct, it must be the exclusive and sole possessor.

Hey! I played tennis in H.S. and college!

hermannr said:
Remember, that is EXCLUSIVE use by the school. I hardly think that a tennis match at a PUBLIC park is included...Just like when a school takes the kids to the zoo...that does not make the zoo automatically off limits for carry...because it is NOT excliusive use of the zoo by the school.

Exclusive and sole possession. Which it is not, stay off the tennis courts and watch all you want.

rapgood · Oct 3, 2012

amlevin said:
As I see it, unless the school/team put admittance controls on the area of the bleachers the term "exclusive" wouldn't apply. If they put up some tape and restricted entrance strictly to participants and invited attendee's then maybe the "exclusive use" argument might hold up.
As for watching tennis? I would rather watch paint dry or hair grow. Almost as boring as Golf on TV (unless John Daly's playing while drunk and he ends up throwing a club or two in the water hazards)

And here, I thought that I was the only one who throws golf clubs into water hazards. Especially when they laugh at me!

amlevin · Oct 4, 2012

rapgood said:
And here, I thought that I was the only one who throws golf clubs into water hazards. Especially when they laugh at me!

Have you ever tossed the whole bag in? Saw that happen in Las Vegas one day. Guy got back on his cart and sped off the course. That was most likely his last golf game.

A word of appreciation

kparker

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DCKilla

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davidmcbeth

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BigDave

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Ajetpilot

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Vitaeus

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BigDave

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Stretch

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kparker

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amlevin

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rapgood

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amlevin

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