Florida appears ready to decriminalize kids carrying knives in schools

[sdt11670]

I know of one school and there may be more that allows kids to bring pocket knives to school as long as it is a folder and no bigger than the standard stockman pattern. I dont know if this school is breaking any federal laws so i wont mention the school but i live in the south .

 

[Menocu]

in ca it is a felony to have a locking blade on a school campus. i cant imagine why floridians would want their kids to have knives in school. weapons carried illegally already cause enough problems. given the judgement capabilities of high school age students, allowing them to lawfully possess knives on school campuses is absurd.
just because i am a collector does not mean i think there should be no laws governing the possession or sales of knives to certain people, juveniles in particular.

Adbsurd? Zero tolerance is what is absurd. My young brother-in-law was expelled from a FL middle school for a typical table knife (not steak, etc or anything dangerous) used for his lunch.

Expelling a kid for voluntarily turning in his swiss army knife when he realized he brought it to school by accident. THAT is absurd.

Of course I understand that those were not issues with the law, but school policy which is unlikely to change.

I really don't get it though.. I carried a keychain SAK to school for many years and no one cringed in fear, or gave me a hard time and I was surely not the only one.

 

[303brit]

I'm not that old and back in the 80's in Colorado most guys carried knives all the time including to school. My friends and I all had lockback folders (Buck 110 size) and I dont remember one incident or issue with them.

Boy have times changed.

 

[CULLEN3]

I have 2 perspectives:

1-As a student. From middle school at least through high school and college. I carried at least a SAK and depending on what year a 3-5in lockback folder. I did this in the states of Washington, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. I also brought shotguns/rifles to school and left in my car during hunting season.

2.-As a former Florida Juvenile Probation Officer and former Florida teacher. I find that the biggest problems in the schools are twofold-- the school resource officer and zero tolerance. The SRO has to justify his role there so he always wants to get kids for weapons and/or drugs. A knife/drug brought to school is more often then not a school issue it is not a criminal justice issue. If a kid brings a knife to school then talk to him---if hes a good kid and has fair reasons let him keep it.

I saw daily arrests for kids that were brought up on Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer because he got hit when breaking up a fight---gimme a break--of course your gonna get hit breaking up a fight.

 

[MORIMOTOM]

not all laws are applicable in all areas. perhaps in colorado where many hunt, knives are viewed differently. in metro los angeles, there is no hunting available, so a knife is often carried as a weapon. perhaps i got a little excited when i first read the thread, and i have never been to florida as i said. please read all my responses before commenting on the early ones.

 

[MORIMOTOM]

I have 2 perspectives:

1-As a student. From middle school at least through high school and college. I carried at least a SAK and depending on what year a 3-5in lockback folder. I did this in the states of Washington, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. I also brought shotguns/rifles to school and left in my car during hunting season.

2.-As a former Florida Juvenile Probation Officer and former Florida teacher. I find that the biggest problems in the schools are twofold-- the school resource officer and zero tolerance. The SRO has to justify his role there so he always wants to get kids for weapons and/or drugs. A knife/drug brought to school is more often then not a school issue it is not a criminal justice issue. If a kid brings a knife to school then talk to him---if hes a good kid and has fair reasons let him keep it.

I saw daily arrests for kids that were brought up on Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer because he got hit when breaking up a fight---gimme a break--of course your gonna get hit breaking up a fight.

how are weapons/drugs not a criminal justice issue if they are illegal?

 

[peacefuljeffrey]

since we can't read minds to determine who is bad and who is good, limiting carry in specific places is, i believe, correct. i would never say knives and guns should be totally outlawed for all civilians, that is absurd.

The so-called "logic" that you employ to "limit carry in specific places" (i.e. schools in this case) is just as applicable to any other place. Why not start "limiting carry" in shopping malls? Why not in movie theaters? Why couldn't we argue that criminals who might want to do crimes in those places are a good reason to prohibit everyone from carrying knives in those venues?

The one important (and devastating) flaw in your logic is that it has no sensible, clear limits. If it is accepted at all, it can be forced on any situation.

i think we have may have gone too far in limiting weapons in some areas, airports, venues and stadiums, etc. but i still agree with a no tolerance policy in our schools.

It's exactly that mentality -- that of leaving things open for unintended consequences -- that is responsible for what happens when someone takes the idea you think is acceptable and applies it in a venue where you do not think it's acceptable.

-Jeffrey