There’s a grassroots effort to alter campus gun laws in Washington

If passed, Initiative 1621 would update Washington law so concealed carry permit holders could carry pistols on school grounds. First, however, it needs to get on the ballot.

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The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida reignited the debate over whether teachers should carry guns. The argument is that teachers could defend students in the event of a shooting. A policy to arm teachers,however, would violate Washington state law as it’s written now. Navy veteran and activist Tyler Miller wants to change it.

“Whether you’re a concealed carry permit holder, whether you’re open carrying, no matter who you are, you aren’t allowed to have a fire arm on school grounds,” Miller told 770 KTTH’s Jason Rantz “This initiative is really aimed at allowing the conversation to take place, and allowing the conversation to take place at the most local level possible.”

There’s a contingent of local teachers that have made it clear they don’t want to carry guns in school. In a blog post, Hope Teague-Bowling listed about 80 things she’d rather have than a gun in the class room. Tape is listed nine times.

Miller said he’s not trying to force anyone to carry a gun on campus. He just wants to start the conversation for people who might want to.

Concealed carry laws in school

The Secure School Choice Initiative, as Miller calls it, doesn’t allow just anyone to carry a gun onto a school campus. Any school employee that wants to carry on the job would still need permission from a senior administrator. And the rule change wouldn’t apply to students even if they’re 18.

“The way that I’ve written the initiative, I changed the language to make it very specific that you must be a non-student to fall under this provision to be able to conceal carry on a campus,” Miller said. “Most people under 21 can’t obtain a conceal carry license to carry a pistol anyway since they’re not allowed to purchase a pistol.”

Miller is recruiting volunteers to help him collect the 250,000 signatures needed to get the initiative on the ballot.

“Right now it’s very grassroots,” Miller said. “I’m very amateur at this. I’ve got a pretty big learning curve. Any help anyone is willing to toss my way, I’m more than willing to take it.”

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