Dearborn School Board Passes 'Open Carry' Resolution

The Dearborn Board of Education passed a resolution on Monday that will prohibit the "open carry" of firearms in Dearborn Public Schools -a step that more and more Michigan school districts seem to be taking.

Michigan law currently limits the premises on which a person can openly carry a firearm. Unless they have a Concealed Pistol License, a person may not openly carry a firearm in the following places: banks, places of worship, courts, theaters, sports arenas, day care centers, hospitals and bars.

While it is illegal to carry a concealed firearm on school property- even for someone with a CPL- Michigan law does not prohibit the "open carry" of firearms in schools.

The board has decided to prohibit the open carry of firearms in Dearborn Schools because "The intent of a person entering a public school with an open carry firearm would be unknown," the resolution stated. "Staff are not qualified to determine a person's status to carry an open firearm, and in the interest of safety it is not reasonable to take the time to make that determination..."

Under the current Emergency Management Plan for Dearborn Public Schools, the entire school would have to go into lockdown mode if someone were to open carry a firearm on the property.

"The board is obviously always concerned about the safety of the schools," said David Mustonen, communications coordinator for Dearborn Public Schools. "They want to do whatever they can and take whatever steps they can to ensure that safety."

Several district's across the state have passed similar resolutions prohibiting the open carry of firearms in school zones, Mustonen said. West Bloomfield Schools passed an open carry resolution last month, and the Hanover-Horton School District in Hanover Township, Mi., also passed one on Monday.

A bill was introduced in January 2013 by state Rep. Andy Schor, D-Lansing, that would have added public schools to the list of places in Michigan where people can't open carry firearms, but it never made it out of Committee.

The Board of Education is hoping that its open carry resolution, along with other school districts' resolutions, will encourage Michigan lawmakers to change the law on the state level.

Do you think the open carry of firearms in school zones should be allowed? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Editor’s Note: This story has been revised to clarify that the state law restrictions on open carrying a firearm in the places listed above does not apply to those with a Concealed Pistol License.