The Medford school district filed a motion to dismiss our lawsuit protecting teachers’ rights to carry a concealed handgunon school property. Yesterday,Jackson County Circuit Judge G. Philip Arnold dismissed the district’s motion and allowed the case to move forward.
While not a final victory, it was still an important and positive development. (To see local coverage and respond, click here.)
Our attorney argued that the law was clear and the school district cannot create restrictions on gun possession by license holders. The school district argued that if trained, licensed adults were allowed to carry on school property “school districts … could be reduced to armed camps,”
Oddly, he never explained why they are not “armed camps” now, when even the school district admits it is perfectly legal for non employees to carry on school property. Nor did he explain why the entire state is not an “armed camp” since thousands legally carry firearms from Portland to Elgin.
No one from the district commented on the insanity in Cleveland where two teachers and two students were just shot because all the good people were disarmed.
Based on the comments from callers to talk radio, misinformation about Oregon law, and fantasies about widespread mayhem, should we prevail, are fairly widespread, however every poll we have seen have the supporters of the Medford teacher way out in front.
The Judge has not issued a ruling on the case itself yet, he as only stated that the case is legitimate and should not be dismissed out of hand, as the district has requested. We still have a long way to go. Interestingly, we have been told by a community college administrator that other school districts and organizations within the public school establishment are uting toward the Medford school district’s legal bills. That makes this even more of a David vs Goliath battle.
We could not have taken on this important fight without your very generous support. To all of you have uted, we are deeply grateful. But we must assume that we have a long way to go.
This decision could still go either way, and in the event of a victory for freedom, we are sure the Medford School District will appeal. After all, it would appear that funding will not be an issue for them .
Thanks for your support, and we will keep you posted.