The North Carolina House passed legislation on Thursday allowing school personnel and teachers to carry firearms on private-school grounds in an effort to bolster school-security measures.
“This is a simple, all-American bill that protects our children and trains our law enforcement officers. No known opposition from any of the usual suspects,” said bill sponsor Rep. Jeff McNeely, R-Iredell, on the House floor.
Private schools have reportedly asked for legal changes so that staff have the option to carry concealed weapons as concerns rise, particularly at Christian schools. The Firearm Law Revisions bill allows individuals with valid concealed handgun permits to carry on private school property if the school allows it and provides written permission.
Rep. Keith Kidwell, R-Beaufort, pointed to a report from the Crime Prevention Research Center that states “schools that allow teachers to carry guns are extremely safe.” He said data shows that 2 million times a year, legally owned guns are used to defend people in the US.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s only common sense that when a bad guy shows up with a gun, you don’t want to bring a knife to a gunfight or a stick,” said Kidwell. “You want to bring a gun to a gunfight. Vote green on this bill.”
The bill passed in a 62-44 vote along party lines, but not without a long debate from Democrats against guns in schools. They expressed concerns over insufficient training and pointed to school resource officers who must go through 868 hours of training before they can be licensed SROs in public schools.
“Right now. It is a class I felony for any gun to be brought on educational property,” said Rep. Marcia Morey, D-Durham. “We’re taking that concept and making it legal to have a gun in private schools. I cannot imagine any. I have not heard from one private school teacher saying I’d sure like to have a gun and the ability to take one on my school. Do we really want more guns in our schools? More guns in the hands of people who are not trained.”
Another aspect of the bill gives additional protections for law-enforcement shooting ranges. It would shield law-enforcement shooting ranges that are relocated within the same county that have been operating for at least 25 years.
The post NC House greenlights handguns on private-school grounds first appeared on Carolina Journal.