The Vinton-Shellsburg School Board took no action on the gun-carrying issue that has kept many of Iowa's city and count government bodies occupied early in 2011.
However, Superintendent Mary Jo Hainstock presented the board a reminder of the school policy, which is based on a state law that makes it a felony to have a weapon on school property.
“The Iowa law did not change current law pertaining to schools; guns are still prohibited on school grounds,” Hainstock wrote in a report in the board packet for last Monday’s meeting.
Iowa Code 724.4B makes it a felony to go armed with, carry or transport a firearm on school grounds. The only exceptions include:
- Law enforcement officers, when they are required to carry;
- Military – when carrying the firearm is part of the person’s current duty;
- Others – who for any lawful purpose, carry an unloaded firearm inside a closed and fastened container that is too large to conceal the firearm, on the person or inside a carrying compartment of a vehicle and the firearm is not readily accessible to any person.
- A person specifically authorized by the school to do so for the purposes of conducting an instructional program on firearm safety.
Even if a school staff member has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, that person must have a lawful purpose for carrying it, or make sure the firearm is unloaded, and must have the firearm in a container too large to be concealed, OR the person must have specific authorization by the school to be armed.
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-- EXCEPTIONS.
1. A person who goes armed with, carries, or transports a firearm
of any kind, whether concealed or not, on the grounds of a school
commits a class "D" felony. For the purposes of this section,
"school" means a public or nonpublic school as defined in section
280.2.
2. Subsection 1 does not apply to the following:
a. A person listed under section 724.4, subsection 4,
paragraphs "b" through "f" or "j".
b. A person who has been specifically authorized by the
school to go armed, carry, or transport a firearm on the school
grounds, including for purposes of conducting an instructional
program regarding firearms.
724.4 CARRYING WEAPONS.
b. A peace officer, when the officer's duties require the
person to carry such weapons.
c. A member of the armed forces of the United States or of
the national guard or person in the service of the United States,
when the weapons are carried in connection with the person's duties
as such.
d. A correctional officer, when the officer's duties require,
serving under the authority of the Iowa department of corrections.
e. A person who for any lawful purpose carries an unloaded
pistol, revolver, or other dangerous weapon inside a closed and
fastened container or securely wrapped package which is too large to
be concealed on the person.
f. A person who for any lawful purpose carries or transports
an unloaded pistol or revolver in a vehicle inside a closed and
fastened container or securely wrapped package which is too large to
be concealed on the person or inside a cargo or luggage compartment
where the pistol or revolver will not be readily accessible to any
person riding in the vehicle or common carrier.
j. A law enforcement officer from another state when the
officer's duties require the officer to carry the weapon and the
officer is in this state for any of the following reasons:
(1) The extradition or other lawful removal of a prisoner from
this state.
(2) Pursuit of a suspect in compliance with chapter 806.
(3) Activities in the capacity of a law enforcement officer with
the knowledge and consent of the chief of police of the city or the
sheriff of the county in which the activities occur or of the
commissioner of public safety.