RI bans guns from school property

pcozzolino@ricentral.com

PROVIDENCE – On Wednesday, Gov. Gina Raimondo announced a ban of all firearms on public school grounds except those carried by law enforcement officers. The move comes in the form of a binding directive, which was issued by the state’s commissioner of elementary and secondary education, Ken Wagner, in response to what officials said was an “uncertainty” among education leaders and community stakeholders regarding current gun laws. 

“It isn’t hard: Guns don’t belong in schools. Even Mississippi bans non-law enforcement officials from carrying guns onto school grounds,” said Raimondo Wednesday. “As we start a new school year, our students cannot wait a minute longer for the General Assembly to take action on the Safe Schools Act. The Rhode Island Department of Education has issued a binding directive to every school district that immediately bans firearms from our kids’ schools.”

In the directive yesterday, Wagner said Rhode Island was an “outlier” when it came to guns on public school grounds. The state’s general laws prohibited firearms and other weapons from school grounds in exception of those with concealed carry permits and other factors, such as firearm instruction and safety courses and government-sponsored military-related programs such as ROTC. In contrast, firearms are banned in all state courthouses, state colleges and universities and other government buildings. 

According to Gifford’s Law Center, the states of Alabama, Arkansas, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming currently allow concealed carry permit holders to possess a gun on public school grounds.   

Raimondo said the state came together to demand more gun control after the deadly February shooting at a high school in Parkland, FL.

“Since the shooting at Parkland, Rhode Islanders of all ages and all parties have come together to strengthen gun safety and protect our students,” said Raimondo. “As long as I am governor, I will stand up with teachers, parents, students, law enforcement, doctors, nurses and everyday Rhode Islanders for a safer community.”

In the directive, Wagner points to the provision in state law that gives students and educators the right to “attend and work in a school that is safe and secure,” a right that is in direct conflict with concealed carry permit holders being allowed to possess firearms on school grounds, according to Wagner. 

“If a student or teacher were to see a person other than a law enforcement officer carrying a firearm in school, would or should that person assume there is a threat?” the education commissioner asked. “Would or should that person activate an emergency school protocol? Contact law enforcement for emergency assistance? Are individuals who bring a concealed firearm on school grounds required to inform the school that they are carrying a firearm? What proof must they show? How would a student, parent, teacher, principal, superintendent, school resource officer, or police officer know who is or is not authorized to carry a firearm on school grounds?”

“The lack of consistent rules regarding firearms in PK-12 schools creates confusion and the exact type of unsafe school environment that the law is intended to prevent, and therefore violates the right of students and teachers to attend a safe school, which is enshrined in state law,” added Wagner. 

The resulting directive goes on to state “all firearms, including concealed-carry firearms, are hereby banned from all public school buildings and grounds by anyone other than a visibly identified active law enforcement officers.” Finally, the new law requires active law enforcement officers to notify school administrators when they are carrying a firearm on school grounds. 

Last year, the Rhode Island General Assembly failed to pass bills that would have essentially accomplished the same goal of barring concealed carry permit holders from possessing firearms on public school campuses. Both bills in the House and Senate were continued for further discussion. 

Narragansett Town Manager James Manni, a former state police officer and secret serviceman, said he approved of the decision in a statement. 

“As a Town Manager, former law enforcement officer and citizen of Rhode Island, I fully support the policy announced by Commissioner Wagner today,” said Manni. “It is a common-sense approach to make our schools safer. As one of the co-chairs of the Gun Safety Working Group, I can report that this is one of the many recommendations we’ve been studying.”

Rhode Island State Police Colonel Ann Assumpico agreed. 

“The Rhode Island State Police supported legislation proposed last year to ban anyone except law enforcement officers from carrying weapons in schools,” said Assumpico. “The policy announced by Commissioner Wagner today is fully consistent with our commitment to keep schools safe.”  

Others, however, disagreed. Independent gubernatorial candidate Joe Trillo said the move would put students and school staff in danger rather than provide safety. 

“Governor Raimondo and RIDE Commissioner Ken Wagner’s directive to only permit active and visibly identifiable law enforcement personnel to carry guns onto Rhode Island school grounds is a terrible mistake that could cost more student lives than she realizes,” said Trillo. “The answer to combating a school shooter, is not to limit the number of guns in schools, but to allow in addition to police officers, resource officers and gun owners with valid concealed carry permits to carry firearms onto school grounds to serve as protection in the event of an unspeakable act by someone looking to kill.” 

“Gina Raimondo never cared about guns before, because she never did anything about it,” Trillo continued. “Now, she’s blaming the legislature for inaction that she’s truly responsible for.” 

After the shooting in Parkland, Raimondo signed an executive order establishing the state’s Red Flag policy, which seeks to take guns from the hands of potentially dangerous persons.