District blasts Utah's gun laws

Salt Lake City School District fell in line Tuesday with Utah's gun laws but not without firing a shot at state lawmakers.

The Board of Education adopted a policy that allows concealed weapons permit holders to bring guns into schools. Like Jordan and Granite school districts, Salt Lake's policy simply follows a state law adopted by the 2003 Legislature.

But Salt Lake City board members also passed a resolution Tuesday that sends a very clear message to legislators.

Until the Legislature can show how allowing guns in schools makes for a safer learning environment, the board wants schools to get equal "protection from weapons that is afforded private residences and houses of worship."

In those two places, the law says the owners can prohibit weapons by giving proper notice. District spokesman Jason Olsen said it's the board's intent to send copies of the resolution to key legislators and possibly the entire legislative body.

"They don't agree with the action that was taken (by lawmakers)," said Olsen. "They're not convinced this is going to increase safety in schools."

And the district isn't waiting for approval from Capitol Hill on giving its own notice to concealed weapons holders.

Board members received a draft copy of a "STOP" sign that may go on the front doors of schools. The current version reads, "School safety is a top priority! Please help us keep our schools safe and free from violence and weapons!

"We encourage all concealed-carry permit holders to leave their weapons at home or outside of the school," the bottom of the sign reads.

Board president Clifford Higbee stressed that the resolution is in no way meant to supplant policy. "I think it's clear by policy that we want to follow the law," he said.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, sponsored the guns bill, which still makes it a class B misdemeanor for people other than concealed-weapons permit holders to bring guns to school.

Waddoups said the Salt Lake District is trying to make the same "stretch" that the University of Utah has made by sticking to its own policy of banning guns on campus. That policy was upheld in a ruling by 3rd District Judge Robert Hilder last month.

The district's resolution, Waddoups said, will have no impact on the upcoming Legislature.

"It just adds impetus to the bill that we'll be running," he said. That bill will clarify what constitutes public and private places. "They are not private property, they are public," he said of the U. and Salt Lake district schools.

Ron Molen, co-founder of Utahns Against Gun Violence, said that most people don't want any guns in school and that the Legislature has created an "embarrassing" situation for schools.

"If ever there was a Legislature out of touch . . . ," he said. Very few concealed-weapons holders, Molen added, would actually take advantage of the law.

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E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com