JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 A proposed Duval County School Board policy would allow school staff, employees, contractors and parents to keep guns in their vehicles on campus, even as the Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s Office warns that gun thefts from vehicles are rising.<\/p>\n
Under the district\u2019s current policy, having a gun in a vehicle on campus can result in a misdemeanor. Florida law allows guns to be stored in vehicles on school property but permits school districts to opt out. Duval, St. Johns and Clay counties have done so.<\/p>\n
JSO reports show 388 guns were stolen from vehicles this year as of October 7, up from 330 last year. In a social media video, the agency urged residents to remove guns from their vehicles.<\/p>\n
Duval County mother Katie Hathaway, who said the proposal is helping fuel her campaign for Jacksonville City Council, opposed the possible change.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe our board should be doing everything to keep guns away from our schools,\u201d Hathaway said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s incredibly reckless for our school board chair to be rushing this policy through without any meaningful input from families or our educators who this is going to greatly impact.\u201d<\/p>\n
The proposed policy would require guns to be \u201csecurely encased.\u201d Gun store owner Z Farhat said secure storage is critical because firearms can be stolen from vehicles. \u201cI\u2019ve had customers have their guns stolen out in front of our store before,\u201d Farhat said. \u201cIt\u2019s rare, but it has happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
An unlocked glove box would meet the definition of securely encased, although JSO advises gun owners not to leave firearms in vehicles.<\/p>\n
Supporters argue that having a gun within reach could help stop an attacker. They pointed to a case in Oregon where, police said, a bystander who was not at the school responded after hearing gunshots. <\/p>\n
One supporter said security systems and monitoring could allow an armed person to act before a threat reaches students.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you have a good safety system and you have everything kind of locked down and you have it monitored, this guy\u2019s walking up there with a rifle or a shotgun, you\u2019re going to see him coming,\u201d the supporter said. \u201cI think you would engage him before he gets near a student.\u201d<\/p>\n
The board is split on the proposal. The earliest it could vote is Nov. 9. <\/p>\n
Action News Jax contacted all seven board members and Sheriff T.K. Waters for their positions on the policy but had not received responses.<\/p>\n
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