The North Carolina Senate gave its stamp of approval on May 7 to a bill that would allow authorized private-school personnel with concealed-carry permits to carry firearms on school grounds.
“This isn’t a mandate. It’s a choice for schools to decide what’s best,” said Sen. Steve Jarvis, R-Davidson, the primary sponsor of the bill. “Many private schools, especially in rural areas, face long law enforcement response times, making on-site protection critical.”
“This isn’t about arming everyone,” Jarvis added. “It’s about equipping schools to deter threats while honoring parents desire for safer schools only vetted, trained individuals chosen by the school leaders can carry. It’s local control trusting schools and parents.”
Under Senate Bill 280, employees or volunteers with concealed-carry permits may carry firearms, but only with explicit authorization from the private-school board or administration director. Stringent requirements include mandatory annual training that exceeds current concealed-carry standards, focusing on safety and appropriate firearm use.
Schools would also need to adopt clear written procedures that outline concealed-carry policies and share these guidelines with parents annually. The bill also addresses facilities that serve as both schools and places of worship, allowing individuals to carry concealed weapons during events such as funerals or wedding services.
The measure passed in a party-line 29-18 vote, after Democrats put forth several amendments to change the bill. These included limiting armed personnel to law-enforcement officers or military veterans without dishonorable discharges, prohibiting private schools from requiring concealed carry permits for employment, and imposing strict liability for incidents involving firearms on campuses.
All of the amendments were tabled by the Republican majority.
Senate Minority Leader Sydney Batch, D-Wake, voiced additional concerns, advocating for a mandatory check against the state’s “responsible individuals list,” a registry maintained by Child Protective Services identifying individuals substantiated for severe child abuse or neglect.
“A person substantiated for severely neglecting or abusing a child should not be allowed to carry a weapon where children are,” Batch said.
While sympathetic to Batch’s concerns, Sen. Buck Newton, R-Wilson, explained that schools lack access to the database and questioned its clarity and feasibility.
“While that’s a topic that I think that the bill sponsors would be willing to continue a conversation to make sure that we only have responsible people there in the schools, I certainly don’t think that it’s right at this time,” said Newton.
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