By in Rhode Island’s Future
The
law seems quite clear when RIGL 11-47-60 (a) states
that, “No person shall have in his or her possession any kind of firearm or
other weapons on school grounds.”
But there is a curious exception.
Under RIGL 11-47-11 it
is stated that a person with a concealed carry permit (CCP) may carry their
weapon “everywhere.” Presumably, this means schools.
Which law takes precedence?
The Department of Education has no regulatory
authority, and therefore does not have the power to decide on this issue. As a
result, legislation is going to be introduced to the General Assembly this
year that seeks to clear up any ambiguity in the law, banning weapons from
schools, even for those with a CCP.
As it stands now, anyone with a concealed carry
permit may bring weapons into schools.
Rhode Island is one of only 18 states that allow
guns to be brought in schools, according to a report by NBC News last
year. Most of the 18 states on the list require that school officials give
permission to bring the weapons into the schools, leaving Rhode Island one of
only 5 states in which people may bring guns into schools without the knowledge
of police or school officials.
The danger is obvious. In September of last year a
teacher in Utah shot herself in the leg
when her weapon discharged in class. In Idaho a “state university instructor
was wounded in the foot after
a concealed handgun in the person’s pocket discharged during a chemistry lab
session with students in the room.” In each case, say news reports, the
teachers had concealed carry permits.
Though some may argue that since Newtown, some teachers should be armed in the event that
children need to be protected from intruders, depending on randomly armed,
untrained teachers with CCPs is not a policy. Good policy needs to be vetted
and debated so that the full implications might be considered. Policies such as
this need to be done right and can’t simply be instituted by taking advantage
of defects in a law written decades ago.
The General Assembly has an opportunity to correct
this oversight, and should do so this year.
Steve Ahlquist is a writer, artist and current president of the
Humanists of Rhode Island, a non-profit group dedicated to reason, compassion,
optimism, courage and action. The views expressed are his own and not
necessarily those of any organization of which he is a member. His photos and
video are usable under the Creative Commons license. Free to share with credit.
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"We must
take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence
encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” - Elie Weisel