farmdude01

2/18/2011
A state representative from Columbia Falls is set to appear before the House Education Committee this week to discuss proposed legislation that would allow students to keep hunting rifles in vehicles parked in a school lot.
KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) — A state representative from Columbia Falls is set to appear before the House Education Committee this week to discuss proposed legislation that would allow students to keep hunting rifles in vehicles parked in a school lot.

Current state law prohibits students from bringing firearms to school, even if they are locked in a vehicle. Students who violate that law must be expelled for at least a year, though school board trustees may modify the punishment on a case-by-case basis.

The Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell reports that Republican Rep. Jerry O'Neil's bill, which will be presented Friday, would eliminate the expulsion requirement and exempt firearms that are kept in locked vehicles. Some consider that exception necessary in a state where hunting is common and students occasionally forget their rifles in their vehicles after hunting trips.

The state Office of Public Instruction says in the last three years, Montana schools have reported more than 79 violations involving shotguns, rifles, handguns or other firearms.

In December, Columbia Falls High School student Demari DeReu faced an expulsion hearing after inadvertently bringing an unloaded hunting rifle to school. She remembered the rifle and told school officials when contraband-sniffing dogs arrived on campus.

DeReu was later allowed back at school.

Bocajnala

I support it. I had a friend in High school get caught with a shotgun in his truck his senior year and got kicked out, didn't graduate. I took my bow to school with me almost everyday through the fall cause I hunted every afternoon. And my friends and I would often meet up to hunt small game too. If I woulda gotten caught I woulda been in a lot of trouble. Thankfully I didn't.
But I'd support this bill, especially for areas that hunting is very common.
-Jake

salukipv1

Once again, how is someone under 18 allowed to be in possession of a firearm without a parent/guardian?

So you can't buy a gun, but you can possess one by yourself in a car??

Or would this only apply to hs students 18 and over??

Doesn't make much sense to me. But MT can figure it out...

farmdude01

I don't feel every state should be like this although a western state where a good portion of the kids hunt/fish ...have been raised a LOT differently than that of those say in Chicago inner city ...huge difference in my mind ...the western states, practically the greater share of the kids hunt/fish..(much like many of us growing up)

not a law for every state for sure, but for a western states I believe it may be ok

Bocajnala

You don't have to be 18 to possess a firearm, or 21 to possess a pistol. You just have to be those ages to buy one. That law will vary from state to state though.
-Jake

Mojotex

I am an older dude. When I lived in rural Louisiana, and a teenager back in the 1960's I had a 1955 Pontiac station wagon (SUV ???). As long as my grades were good and I behaved myself, I could drive it to school. I loved duck hunting. When season came in, I'd open the rear of that wagon, drop the second seat and strap in my 10' pirogue in which was my hunting clothes, a 12 ga. Ithaca Nitro Special SBS and a couple boxes of Winchester "high brass" #6's. As soon as class was done, I'd head to the Spanish Lake swamp just south of Baton Rouge and hunt wood duck roosts. Shotgun at school? Never gave it a second thought. None of us boys, teachers or admin guys did. But these days with all the "whack jobs" out there and screwed up households, plus our legal system's too often mamby-pamby treatment of such tick-terds, I don't think it is a good idea. Should be ... but probably ain't.

I edited tbhis after reading other posts ... yep, a point well made. Those that want to do harm will. Rule or no rule, law or no law.

mortalcare

I have to agree with not allowing to let kids come to school with guns.although it is compleatly unfair to students who want to hunt after students,the world is psyco,and this would created a loop hole for psycos to bring guns to school.not a very good idea

Bocajnala

The crazies wouldn't need a loop hole to bring it. If they wanna bring a gun to school, they'll bring it. They bring drugs and do them in the bathrooms daily. But a student that actually follows the rules can't even go get an advil for a headache.
-Jake

farmdude01

If you have the legal right to own a gun, I think it shouldn't matter where you're coming from or going to when it comes to keeping it in your car.

The bad and irresponsible kids aren't going to care if it's against the law or not - they're going to do what they want.

I speculate that if guns were allowed on campus in Columbine, those shooters' rampage would have been short lived

Bocajnala

Absolutely. Or the shooting wouldn't have happened at all because they knew that ppl were armed. College campuses are slowly starting to change rules to allow ppl with CC permits to carry. My campus hasn't changed yet, but we are allowed to leave them in our vehicles locked. WHich I realize wouldn't help in a shooting situation, but it is a start.
-Jake