School Board closes gun loophole

FORT WALTON BEACH — The Okaloosa County School Board has approved a gun policy on school properties that some members feel will be impossible to enforce.

      “We’re not going to have anybody at the campus to enforce this. I don’t believe it adds an additional safety for our students,” said School Board member Chuck Kelley.

      The School Board voted 5-0, Monday to close a loophole that allowed visitors to bring guns onto school properties.

      It is already illegal to possess or discharge guns at a school-sponsored event or on school property.

      However, a Florida Statute allows people 18 years or older to have a concealed firearm or other weapon in a vehicle for self-defense without a license as long as the weapon is encased and not readily accessible.

      There is a clause in the state law that allows school districts to prohibit guns on school properties except for certain statutory allowances.

      School Board members agreed that the rule would be almost impossible to regulate.

      “We all understand we’re not going to be searching vehicles,” said board member Rodney Walker.

      It would be unlikely that school officials would be able to learn that someone was carrying a weapon “as long as they keep their mouth shut,” said board member Howard Hill.

      However, board members believed they could send the wrong message by not voting on the policy change. People might think it was OK to have guns on school property.

      Kelley said law-abiding residents are not the ones he is concerned about.

      “The ones who will create the problems are the ones who will not care,” he said.