Any memory tips to keep me out of jail?

5K Qs

5K Qs

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I decided back in January to start carrying a pocket knife again, after about 45 years of not doing so. I'm thoroughly enjoying the experience (and it's more often 2 or 3 knives that I carry).

But one thing I hadn't considered is that my job takes me into a variety of middle and high schools several times each week from September through December. Carrying a knife into those schools is probably frowned upon, and a headline such as "Math Prof Visiting Local High School Indicted on Concealed Weapons Charge" wouldn't really advance my career.

So I have to remember to leave my knives in the car on these visits. So far, I've done so successfully, but my mind isn't what it used to be, and I'm afraid I'll forget someday. Does anyone here encounter similar situations, and if so, do you have any sure-fire ways to remember to divest yourself of blades at the appropriate time?

-GT
 
I guess it would depend on the state but here in Oregon I can carry my handgun concealed into a school so i definitely don't give my slip joint knife a second thought. The only place I leave my knife in the car is the Social Security Office or court house. With that being said I would just go whipping my knife out in a school unless I absolutely needed to cut something. I also carry a Victorinox Rambler on my key chain which is always a good safe choice when around sensitive people. :)
 
Just don't worry about it. If you accidentally leave it in your pocket, go about your day and dont make a big deal about it.
 
jobasha11 said:
If you accidentally leave it in your pocket, go about your day and dont make a big deal about it.
Click to expand...

I would agree with the above, but with the caveat that "ignorance of the law does not excuse." I would learn what the law says, starting local and moving up: school's personnel policy, town ordinance, county regulations, then state laws. I realize a lot of people "illegally" carry, simply as an act of protest. That's their (and your) decision, but that's not what I hear you saying. If you forget, you forget. Make nothing of it, and in all likelihood nothing will be made of it. But if you investigate and it's allowed, you can now carry with a clear conscience. If you investigate and you are not allowed, maybe learning the potential consequences will help remind you to empty your pocket into the console each day. Just another opinion.... You asked for it. 😉


Michael
 
My work as a government contractor required visits to many NYS and Federal facilities. If I forgot to leave my pocket knives in my car, I invariably set off the metal detectors. After a few of those I learned to leave the knives in my vehicle.

I can understand your dilemma. Maybe a note posted on your dashboard as a reminder?
 
Find the "culinary" exception in the law and have the answer before they ask the question. I can't imagine it's illegal to cut an apple? So don't forgo the knife. Bring the apple!
 
There is no state law against having a knife on you in a school. I looked up the knife laws on www.legislature.mi.gov. You can do a search for knife, but the statute that handles weapons is 750.226. Statute 380.13.13 deals with knives found in the possession of a pupil, but nothing is mentioned about instructors/faculty/any other adult. Now in Wisconsin we have a preemption law, which states that no county or local municipality may pass weapons laws that are more restrictive than state law. You don't have that in Michigan, so it might be that the local municipality has laws against it. However, as far as the state is concerned you seem to be fine.
 
As a school teacher I have decided to leave my knives at home. I would forget, and I have a habit of rubbing the scales, so I don't even tempt it. I have read to many articles on teachers reporting other teachers just as quickly as a student. Plus, once one student sees it, or finds out, all the students will find out. I may be overly cautious but students can be vindictive.

It feels odd all day but I can't risk losing my job over my opinion or a mistake like carrying a knife into a school. My only suggestion is to talk with your principal first. If you do forget, to go immediately to your principal and just tell him/her you forgot and ask them to hold it for you. If you hide it and get caught it may make it worse later on.

*While state law may say one way or the other the principals often have final say over such matters and forbid the edc.
 
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Set an alarm on your phone to alert you every day before you enter the school. That will remind you to keep it in the car
 
What a difference now from years ago. I remember showing off my new hunting rifle in the parking lot of the HS to the Coach & the assistant Principal.
Never gave a second thought about the knife in my pocket.
Always tried to get a couple hours in the woods after school during the season. Glad I don't have to put up with the nonsense present time.
 
Thanks for all the good advice and information, guys!

jkulysses, jobasha11, and Michael: I think you're right about the reality of the situation - I can't really imagine that anyone in these schools would ever know what the contents of my pockets are, since there's no reason for me to ever pull out a knife while I'm visiting classes. But I'm kind of a worrywart who sometimes thinks about worst case scenarios.

Mike-Mike: Your culinary exception suggestion made me laugh out loud! I always carry a couple of sticks of gum in my pockets; do you think gum could take the place of an apple? ;) Anyway, I don't think I have the guts to try this "defense"!

Gary and glennbad: I adapted your suggestions to come up with a memory aid that I think will work for me. Whenever I get in the car to go visit a school, the first thing I do is write the mileage in a planner I carry. So if I just stick a post-it that says "No Knives" on the page where I record mileage, it will remind me to leave them in the car before I even leave the parking lot. That should work great! (glennbad, my planner is actually paper & pencil, and that's one reason why the phone alarm idea wouldn't work for me; I've had a cell phone for about 7 years, but have only recharged it half a dozen times. It mostly sits, turned off, in a pocket of my backpack.)

Cory: My impression is that you always have excellent insights! Your info about Michigan laws actually is an example of how my mind isn't what it used to be. When you started "quoting chapter and verse" of state code, it reminded me that back in March, I spent some time looking into Michigan knife laws (general, not school-related). The reminder that local ordinances may take precedence over state statutes was a good one (and is consistent with some of Michael's advice, and Brett's opinion that the principal is king/queen in his/her school).

Brett: I was hoping you might chime in, since I remembered you said you were a teacher. And your decision to be "better safe than sorry" is consistent with my generally risk-averse philosophy. In some ways, that's too bad. In the last couple of college statistics courses I taught, I used several knife-related data sets that I generated, and I'd occasionally give my students brief mini-lessons on knife patterns and their histories, blade shapes, handle materials, etc. I even drew up a "SAK family tree" at the request of several of my students in a stat class this summer. I actually think I can often teach more effectively if the students see we're doing something that I'm "geeked" about, and that I'm more than just a weird math guy (or at least I have other interests, even if they're tainted by my math geekiness).

Thanks again.

-GT
 
5K ~ Ahh to have the freedom of a college professor. I would have loved to have taken that type of statistics course! Mine put me to sleep on more than one occasion. Some how or another I pulled an A but your right, if a teacher can, and does, show their passion it is contagious. While I have to stick to corriculum and standards I sneak a little philosophy or sociology in when I can. ;). Best of luck to you in your classes and knife concealment. :) Remember to lock your doors. High school students like to figure out what you drive and it's not always just out of curiosity.
 
Since you are adverse to risk, I would simply leave the knife in the car. I tend to just ignore the school rules, but I am not a teacher and I am not risking my career over a pocket knife. Recently I was doing some work inside a court house and of course you're not allowed to carry a knife or even a cell phone in that particular court house. I told them I needed the knife and they escorted me inside past the metal detectors.
 
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