Michigan Gun Group, Parent Sue Ann Arbor Schools Over Weapons-Free Policy
ANN ARBOR (WWJ/AP) - A gun owners' group and an Ann Arbor parent have sued the city's school district over new policies keeping guns out of schools except those carried by law enforcement officers.
Michigan Gun Owners and Ulysses Wong filed the lawsuit Monday against the Ann Arbor Public Schools and Superintendent Janice Swift.
It alleges the policies enacted this month violate state law as well as the U.S. Constitution.
"We have those rights that were granted to us — that big, long word 'inalienable' comes up. Those are rights that we were born with, and now people want to take these rights away," Michigan Gun Owners President Mike Borders told WWJ Newsradio 950.
"Our ideal situation is that the Ann Arbor school district, and any other school district, that thinks they can pass and enact their own laws to circumvent the state law that they will be set straight in their ways in the state court system," Michigan Gun Owners President Mike Borders told WWJ Newsradio 950.
Under the policy, a weapon in a school constitutes an emergency. If anyone but a law enforcement official carries a gun into an Ann Arbor school, administrators will ask the person to leave and call the police.
Ann Arbor school officials explored a weapons-free policy amid debate about whether it's appropriate to openly carry firearms in schools.
It came after Joshua Wade, who has a concealed pistol license, brought a gun into Pioneer High School during a choir concert and a disruption ensued.
School officials had anticipated a lawsuit stemming from the action, but said they were not worried.
"I'm pleased that we have approved a policy that will protect students and if tested in court we will be able to defend successfully," said School Board Trustee Andy Thomas.
WWJ has a call out to the Ann Arbor School district for comment.
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