The Idaho State Board of Education voted Monday to oppose legislation currently in discussion in the Idaho legislature that would permit the concealed carry of firearms on college campuses.
The group met for a special meeting in the SBOE boardroom in Boise, and one of the current hot-button issues of the legislative session — Senate Bill 1254 pertaining to firearms on campus — was the sole topic for the emergency meeting.
The bill would add Idaho to the handful of states passing legislation to allow guns on campus, with few restrictions. Concealed carry would be permitted for retired law enforcement personnel, university-cleared security personnel and individuals ages 21 or older who have also obtained an enhanced carry permit.
Boise board member Milford Terrell initially proposed the notion to reject the bill, and said it could cause too much confusion in case of an accident.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna said he wasn’t concerned about the constitutionality surrounding the oft-quoted “right to bare arms” in the state of Idaho. Safety, he said, needs to be promptly addressed.
“I thought the objection from the (college and university) presidents wasn’t a constitutional objection,” Luna said. “I thought it had to do with safety and the right way to manage safety — that’s what I was looking for. What is Utah doing that isn’t acceptable here? I didn’t think your arguments were because you didn’t think it was constitutional.”
University of Idaho Interim President Don Burnett said the concern is a matter of policy and that the control of firearms on campus is an issue that ought to be addressed by those responsible on each campus.
“We believe that distributing the decision making is in the best interest of higher education, rather than a ‘one size fits all’ coming from Boise,” Burnett said. “I grew up in an Idaho family and firearms were a way of life, and I have firearms at home. But it’s a different context when you think about them coming onto campus.”
Burnett said the university’s ability to set firearm restrictions remains an important and critical responsibility. His opinion falls in line with that of ASUI President Max Cowan.
In a letter to state legislators, Cowan said decision-making should be left to individual university administrations.
“I urge you to vote no, as this removes the ability of our institutions to set their own policies,” Cowan said. “With the diversity of campuses across our state, each institution has their own considerations regarding campus policies that are best addressed at the institutional level.”
Cowan said it is imperative that student input plays a role in the process.
“In order for the student input from the dialogue to have a meaningful impact, our respective institutions must retain the ability to make these decisions in consultation with students,” Cowan said.
North Idaho College President Joe Dunlap said K-12 aged students are on the NIC campus every day, and dual-credit high school-aged students frequent the campus. He said his campus is not just for adults, and allowing firearms on campus is a severe threat to the safety of the younger students. He said either himself or representatives on behalf of NIC would be coming to the Capitol to testify when the bill reaches public hearing.
College of Southern Idaho President Jeff Fox said his college has polled students on their feelings about guns on campus, and he said it was virtually unanimous that students hope for a firearm-free campus.
“We need to be sensitive to local issues, each campus has it’s own needs,” Don Soltman, SBOE president, said.
Chloe Rambo can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @CRchloerambo
Possible pull quote: “I grew up in an Idaho family and firearms were a way of life, and I have firearms at home. But it’s a different context when you think about them coming onto campus.” – Don Burnett