Carrying on school grounds??

[Guest Rem_700]

Heres another noob question.I work for the board of education and am at the schools all day long.So i know I can not carry while at work.I seen in another thread were it said that if you were a permit holder you could have your carry gun on you while dropping your kid off at school but wasn't allowed to unholster it for any reason.So,could I legally carry to work and then take the holster off and leave it in my vehicle and go on into work?

[Guest archerdr1]

Our instructor said to make sure to lock it up before you go onto school property that way you are not handling it AT ALL on school property. However, there was just a teacher that got arrested and charged with TWO counts of having a weapon on school property b/c he had a knife in his boot and a loaded handgun in his car, so the verdict is still out on that one I think.

[Guest archerdr1]

Of course I am not sure if he had his HCP or not, but I think he did.

[Falcon1]

Legal Resources

IANAL, but I am a public-school educator (high school), and this is what a lawyer has advised me.

TCA 39-17-1309 outlines offenses for carrying firearms onto school property. The difference between the felony and the misdemeanor is "intent to go armed." If you follow "peaceable journey" rules--unloaded firearm in one locked container, ammunition in a different locked container, you are not demonstrating the "intent to go armed," although no court in Tennessee has actually defined what that means in this case. If you leave it in the car in the condition stated above (so you do not bring the felony into play) and do not handle it while you are on school property, you are not breaking the law.

TCA 39-17-1310 outlines defenses to carrying weapons onto school property (even to the potential felony charge), but none of them would apply to a school employee on school business (e.g., such an employee is not on school grounds for the sole purpose of dropping off or picking up passengers).

Note, however, that even though you are not breaking the law, I am unaware of a single school system in this state whose board policies would allow an employee to have a firearm on school property or at school events (except for ROTC or approved school clubs like trap shooting teams). If you are discovered with a firearm in your vehicle on school property, I will be absolutely amazed (and very happy for you) if your employment is not immediately terminated.

Edited April 10, 2009 by Falcon1

[Guest Bill Lumberg]

You may have it in your vehicle if you're wheeling through to pick up your child, otherwise others noted, it's a great way to get fired or jailed.