Alachua County Public Schools adopts resolution to promote gun safety
Alachua County school leaders this week passed a resolution in hopes of addressing gun safety measures.
Over the past couple years, the district has dealt with several incidents where a gun made its way onto a school campus.
The change will be made to the student handbook and will add details about parents' legal obligations regarding storing firearms.
"It is a really important step towards reducing the threat of gun violence not only in the schools but unintended shootings in homes and suicide among children and teens," said Marnie Wiss, a volunteer with Moms Demand Action in Alachua County.
Clear bag reversal: Outrage causes Alachua County school district to reverse clear bag mandate within 24 hours
We wear orange: Gainesville community wears orange to honor victims and survivors of gun violence
Active shooter training: How will local law enforcement respond to an active shooter threat? Here's what we know
But the resolution leaves some parents wondering what are the consequences for parents if their child happens to obtain a firearm. They vary on a case-by-case basis, explained Capt. Kaley Behl, spokeswoman for the Alachua County Sheriff's Office.
"If you're a law-abiding parent, you keep your guns away from your kids, but you're talking about teenagers here … and kids are smart," she said. "If they figure out how to get into your stuff and steal your gun, that's not the parent's fault."
Cases vary depending on the situation
On May 13, a 15-year-old boy brought a gun onto Forte Clark Middle School's campus. The gun belonged to the boy's mother and was taken without her knowledge, the family contends.
The boy was arrested and charged with grand theft of a firearm, possession of a weapon on school grounds and burglary of a conveyance.
"In that particular case, with the Fort Clark student, the parent was very suspicious of the child and their bad behavior in the past and was ... a responsible parent," Behl said. "The kid just outsmarted the parent and that happens. That's why that one didn't get charged."
A similar incident occurred at Oakview Middle School where a dad placed his firearm in his child's backpack.
An incident report paints the scenario more like an accident. In that case, the father and son were attending a softball game, and the dad put the firearm in his son's backpack so no one would see him walking to his car with it.
The father had the intention of taking it out, but forgot, the report said.
The student later found the gun in his bag while at school and immediately alerted an administrator.
"There was no intent to commit a crime, nor did the child have any knowledge that the parent had put a gun in their backpack," Behl said.
Gun violence on campus: Alachua County schools have teams in place to assess threats, but gun safety also stressed
The district's resolution
The school board directed interim Superintendent Shane Andrew to draft a letter, in English and Spanish, that will be sent out to parents and guardians to explain the importance of securing and storing a gun properly, as well as legal obligations to protect minors from accessing the weapon.
It further states that the board and the superintendent will continue to work with law enforcement, non-profits and health agencies to inform parents of their obligations for safe firearm storage.
The resolution follows the district's failed clear backpack policy where they initially attempted to force all students to wear clear bags next school year. Immediate outrage caused the district to rescind the policy within 24 hours.
"We are so grateful to the school board for taking this important step and we do feel that it will save lives and we look forward to working with them to institute even more measures that will keep our kids safer in and out of school," Wiss said.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Alachua County schools to address parents about gun storage obligations
