Letter to the Editor

Political elites' kids protected by guns at school

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Dear editor:

Your editorial concerning limits on guns contained one fairly significant error. You stated that "the NRA's solution (armed police in schools) wouldn't work in Idaho because it's against the law to carry guns onto a school ground. So, Idaho legislators have already taken a stand in opposition to the NRA.

You are wrong. Idaho law shows that Idaho's legislators fully agree with the NRA on the potential for having the good guys armed in our schools. I refer you to Idaho Statutes Title 18, Chapter 33, Part 18-3302D (4):

"(1) (a) It shall be unlawful and is a misdemeanor for any person to possess a firearm or other deadly or dangerous weapon while on the property of a school or in those portions of any building, stadium or other structure on school grounds ... (4) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the following persons: (a) A peace officer; ... (f) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 18-3302C, Idaho Code, a person or an employee of the school or school district who is authorized to carry a firearm with the permission of the board of trustees of the school district or the governing board."

Under Idaho law, it is legal for peace officers to possess firearms in the schools -- exactly as the NRA recommended. In addition, the school boards of Idaho may authorize any teacher, employee, or other person to possess a firearm in a school. The parents of Elmore County may want to ask their school board members whether or not they are willing to take this step to protect the children in our schools.

As a side note, did you know that many of the children of the political and media "elite" in Washington, D.C., (including President Obama's children) attend the very expensive private Sidwell Friends School in that city, and that the Sidwell Friends School has armed private guards on campus, in addition to the armed Secret Service agents who protect the President's daughters? None of that "gun free zone" nonsense for our rulers, right? If armed guards are necessary for the elite, why shouldn't they be considered for the children of everyone else in America? Or does this situation come under the slogan in Orwell's Animal Farm: "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others?"

Peter Humm

(Pete: Law enforcement can carry a gun almost anywhere. It's minimum-wage guards and arming teachers whose value I question).