Tennessee Firearms Assoc. Inc.

AG: Gun ban remains for school athletic events

The Associated Press
• July 27, 2009

NASHVILLE — Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper says people with handgun permits can’t carry their weapons into parks or sports fields when they are being used by schools.

In an opinion released Monday, Cooper says the state’s new law to allow permit holders to bring their guns in city and county parks does not prohibit schools from using those facilities. But once they do, guns would be banned there.

Cooper cites state law that bans guns in any area ‘‘owned, used or operated by a school.’’ He writes that non-student permit holders can store their guns in their cars while school-sponsored events are going on.

The opinion was requested by House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada of Franklin.

Several communities are considering opting out of the guns in parks law.

Here is a quick question. Say a school is on a field trip and on their way back they stop at a restaurant to ear, say McDonalds, does this mean I could not carry into the McDonalds?

Another question: some of these parks cover a large geographical area. What happens when I enter the park from one side, and the school group has entered from the other. How do I know that they are there? What if I arrive first, then they arrive later? Am I now in violation of the law? Talk about unconstitutionally vague....

You know the best way to make it less unconstitutionally vague? Just totally eliminate the no carry at school law, along with the property and use parts of the law. Pretty simple!

Matthew

What happens when I am in a State Park and a school field trip comes along, or does this only apply to County and City parks?

The problem is that we have been letting the other side run the dialogue.
I believe that anyone here would do everything in their power to prevent harm to a child. But the anti-gun folks are telling us that defending children is 'irresponsible'.
When, God forbid, there is another school shooting, all we need to do is say "There are 238,000* people in Tennessee that could have tried to defend your child. But they were legally forbidden to even try."

*http://www.state.tn.us/safety/stats/DL_Handgun/Handgun/HandgunCarryPermitsJan2008-Jul2009.pdf

I was concerned about this Tuesday at a sporting event my son participated in on church property after school hours.

I understand what both are saying, I just don't buy it. Certainly not the intent of the law. I can understand "if" the school
had reserved McDs' for whatever purpose, & it was posted, advertised, or some means of notification, then there
would be a problem. I just can't see a school driving up at random & changing the rules.

Ok. John, give us a ruling.........Hey, if I'm wrong, so be it. Won't be the first or last time, nor will it
hurt my feelings.

If we are to take the stance that "used or operated" is to be taken literally for any situation, then our homes are going to be off limits as well as any street. Children do their homework at home, and that is a "use" by the school system. Every road in the State of TN is used by the school busses, so does that preclude our right to be armed on them as well?

So, the way I read it,the school board super has more influence than the AG? Rolling bans?