School Carry

[Kampfer]

As dad of a 2nd grader, I will be spending a good amount of time in his school for voluntary work.
Checking the state laws I found:

Restrictions on knives in California schools – Penal Code 626.10
Under Penal Code 626.10(a)(1) and (2), it is a California wobbler offense to bring or possess certain knives on the grounds of:

any public or private school providing kindergarten to grade 12 instruction;
any private university;
the University of California;
the California State University; or
the California Community Colleges.

The prohibited knives are:
a dirk or dagger,
an ice pick,
a knife having a blade longer than 2 ½”,
a folding knife with a blade that locks into place, or
a razor with an unguarded blade.

Violation of Penal Code 626.10(a)(1) or (b) is punishable by:
as a misdemeanor, up to one (1) year in county jail, or
as a felony, up to three (3) years in county jail.

Additionally, Penal Code 626.10(a)(2) makes it a misdemeanor -- punishable by  up to one (1) year in county jail -- to bring  or possess on the grounds of a K-12 school:
a razor blade, or
a box cutter.

The two highlighted portions pretty much outlawed everything I own except Micra, Squirt & Classic SD.
I guess I will leave everything in my car, put Squirt in my pocket before I head in to school.


How are other dads staying out of trouble with the local laws???

[styx]

Better to be safe than sorry.

Having said that, I didn't really pay attention to any rules, regulations and laws like that since I was in high school where I edc-ed a Vic Weekender, a 93mm SAK.
Only times I don't have anything on me is when going out to clubs, concerts and sports events with proper security and travel restrictions. If it's a bit of a "you shouldn't have that" situation with no security that will pat me down or have a metal detector, I opt for something slim like a Douk Douk.
Maybe I should follow your example and start using my damn head before I get in those oh so wonderful sticky situations

[hiraethus]

84mm SAK should be OK according to the rules.  Good excuse to get a small Tinker or alox Cadet.

[Aloha]

I never gave it a second thought when I went onto my kids campus.  I had my MT on my belt and no one gave me a second glance.  I don't do it now however when I go onto school campus I carry a SAK (91mm) .  I do have 84mm and should carry that instead I know.   

[Miknitro]

Wise thoughts above.

Myself, there was no issue with my carry when my son was still in school, that was only twenty years ago too, sigh lol.
There was sheeplike people then too, but it was how you carried yourself and behaved. IMO, by them standards today, and not including MTs, most fail horribly.

Side thought, my son was impaled by another kids weapon,.. Sank right into his upper thigh, a good four inches.
You know what that weapon was,... A grade two pencil.
It's the end user, never the used item.

Cheers, have a great one, and enjoy the volunteer work at school, I had a lot fun when I did.

Mike


Sent from my SHIELD Tablet

[NKlamerus]

Ah, gotta love it.

The smurfification of America.

I carry everything in school (Pocket carry LM, bag with more)

But my college also has nurse, law enforcement and EMT courses, and 90% of our community is military or was military. So Noone really says anything.

If I can't carry a leatherman, then the other courses can't carry 9mm, Tazers, or regular pocket knives.

I used my wave multiple times in chemistry class. The bunsen burners self-loosen the screws on their bases. Used the pliers to hold stirring rods, used the knife to open ammonia packets. List goes on, the class also borrowed my Style and my Scissors to cut the little tidbits off the edge of notebook paper.

Either way, I would carry deep pocket carry or carry in a backpack if it's a K-12 school.

All it takes is one mother to freak out about a 2" blade to ruin everything. (It'll probably be the same mother cutting the cake with a 14" chef knife)

[Kampfer]

Thanks for the insights, everyone.
Even through I do not agree with the laws but I still have to obey them.
Being a firearm collector and reenactor, state of California is not exact "friendly" to people like me, I am sure they will be more than happy to nail me on any small offense and launch full investigation on my whole life and everything I own. Like you said, all it take is one mom freaks out and my life would be ruined.

[Kampfer]

I am in my kids school now, with only a Squirt in my pocket. CQC-6K stays in the car.

[Kampfer]

84mm SAK should be OK according to the rules.  Good excuse to get a small Tinker or alox Cadet.

I have them.
They are not more capable nor have bigger tool set than Squirt, right? 

[Crocker]

For many years I worked in public schools doing maintenance and cleaning, a unionized permanent position, not contracted work. We were issued retractable knives, usually Olfa brand, to use as box cutters, wire strippers, etc. We also had various other blades from putty knives to personal EDC. Many guys wore a folder on their belt in plain sight, including me. We were required to have annual police/criminal record checks, and union or not, any illegal on the job activity got you terminated. Volunteers aren't always subject to the same procedures and can often slip through anyway. I, for one, wouldn't want volunteers to carry. Period. They can get along without a blade, or ask for one on a supervised case by case basis.

[captain spaulding]

Thanks for the insights, everyone.
Even through I do not agree with the laws but I still have to obey them.
Being a firearm collector and reenactor, state of California is not exact "friendly" to people like me, I am sure they will be more than happy to nail me on any small offense and launch full investigation on my whole life and everything I own. Like you said, all it take is one mom freaks out and my life would be ruined.

This^^^

Sadly enough in this state they are just looking for a reason to bend you over. In this case I would just obey the rules and stay out of trouble.

The PS4 should handle most anything you might need on school grounds anyways so you should be good to go. You could get another Kick and modify it to a bladeless or put a legal size blade in it. 

[ironraven]

And that is why (a) I send a letter to my town clerk asking to an absentee ballot for every election and for town meeting, and (b) I don't have kids.

Wait, there might be more reasons than that for the second one. But it's one of many.

[Kampfer]

The Squirt is awl good.

[raistlin65]

Thanks for the insights, everyone.
Even through I do not agree with the laws but I still have to obey them.
Being a firearm collector and reenactor, state of California is not exact "friendly" to people like me, I am sure they will be more than happy to nail me on any small offense and launch full investigation on my whole life and everything I own. Like you said, all it take is one mom freaks out and my life would be ruined.

No doubt. The other problem is that the knife carry laws vary from municipality to municipality. It's pretty crazy on the rules structure. 

[Huntsman]

Australia has simiar laws although no where near so detailed and prescriptive.

One interesting additional law is that if I give my son a knife and he carries it to school - we have both committed offenses.
Although not a problem - you do have to abide by the law - so I will make sure he never carries a knife to school - Good job I am not your Dad NKlamerus 

However like you Kamfer I am doing quite a bit of voluntary work - I am on the 'grounds committee' - as such we do lots of handy work around the school - and I have to say I pretty much ignore the rules for me!! And usually have some sort of MT with me. I, probably naively, think that they only apply to the kids and not the workers.
Although clearly that is not the case in the Califormia laws.
My wife was there a couple of days ago and had her LM Hybrid with her - And it was even admired by the groundsman - Although by the look of it that would be completely acceptable in California. Could be an option for you 

I did get out a large 130mm Wenger on the last 'working bee' and this happened to be in front of the head. I jokingly said "Oh you're not going to report me are you?" - "Who would I report you too?" he replied "Myself!!".
So he clearly was not worried.

84mm SAK should be OK according to the rules.  Good excuse to get a small Tinker or alox Cadet.

I have them.
They are not more capable nor have bigger tool set than Squirt, right? 

84/85mm SAK definitely bigger tools, and blades, and way more capable than the PS4
- Apart from pliers of course !!
Get a nice fat Wenger!! 

[styx]

I actually agree that there should be limitations when one is around kids. Not all of them are responsible and some aren't all too bright. Case and point the kid that almost broke his neck yesterday during a visit to the ZOO with the group I volunteer with.

The hard line in my opinion should be the "tool of the trade". While it might sound silly, I for one would be very disappointed if I walked into a room full of aspiring IT techs and found no tool on any one of them (or in their bags, jackets, etc.).

[cbl51]

I don't have any kids in school anymore, but I do have a few greandkids. But living in the suburbs of Washington D.C., I find myself 'downtown' at government buildings very often, sometimes for a whole week at a time doing consult work in said government buildings. Since 2001, D.C. has been been one of the most secure pal ces on earth, with more police agencies than you can shake a stick at. F.B.I., D.E.A., I.C.E., U.S. Park Police, Homeland Security, not to mention the D.C. Metro police.

The government buildings have the identical knife specs you quote. 2 1/2 inch blades and no locks. So when I go 'downtown', my pocket knife of the day or week is a small multitool. My Leatherman micra and squirt go un questioned through the security with no problems. They have done everything I need as far as opening packages, cutting string, stripping wire, breaking down boxes, removing staples, and trimming a broken finger nail. Just carry a squirt and you'll be fine. But here's a secret, it you pull out the blade of a Leatheman micra, and close the handles, it makes the blade as secure as a opened balisong. Good as a lock. Don't tell anyone, and you'll have a very sharp little blade that can be pressed into serve as a defensive box cutter style knife.

Don't tell anyone!!



Herr's the micra blade pulled open then handles closed. Blade can't fold over on you if things get dicy, since the handles themselves block the blade as long as you have a good snug hold.

[Kampfer]

I actually agree that there should be limitations when one is around kids. Not all of them are responsible and some aren't all too bright. Case and point the kid that almost broke his neck yesterday during a visit to the ZOO with the group I volunteer with.

The hard line in my opinion should be the "tool of the trade". While it might sound silly, I for one would be very disappointed if I walked into a room full of aspiring IT techs and found no tool on any one of them (or in their bags, jackets, etc.).

Being honest, I think some kind of restriction (Of course staff is exempt from this) in book is good to prevent or limit students bringing knives to schools with ill intent. Knives restriction in school is different from firearm restriction, as firearms are already much harder to obtain by a minor. 

[Corwyn]

Was just watching this today:

[tjfarrington2000]

Better yet, advice from a high schooler! As the dullest idea ever conceived by a classmate, let's cut the blade off of a classic, toss green signature scales on it, and go to school wearing it around his neck!


Sent from my iPhone using A box of monkeys on a treadmill and a quantum leap

[tjfarrington2000]

Better yet, advice from a high schooler! As the dullest idea ever conceived by a classmate, let's cut the blade off of a classic, toss green signature scales on it, and go to school wearing it around his neck!


Sent from my iPhone using A box of monkeys on a treadmill and a quantum leap

oh, wait, that's me today


Sent from my iPhone using A box of monkeys on a treadmill and a quantum leap

[captain spaulding]

The kid should not of even been in the office in the first place as it was mistaken identity, which if I remembering correctly would (if a adult in the court system) get your case dismissed as evidence pertaining to your case would not be admissible and your case would be dropped.

I'm not sure how correct the guy making the video is on the actual law's in bringing a knife to that particular school and the seemingly non existent guideline to determining if the knife is actually a weapon or not. The knife in question would appear to not fall into the "weapon" category, but when things like this are left up to interpretation then any case can be made to make someone a criminal and it really only goes in one direction to hurt the person being accused. The vast interpretation would rarely if ever help this particular situation.

I definitely DO NOT agree with the opinion that since he was a good kid he should be given a pass and if he was a problem child they should make a example and throw the book at him. While he might be right everyone should be punished equally no matter your moral character.

I do agree that people are in this state of worry and fear about things (in my opinion the news) portrays as weapons such as knives, but scissors which are just as dangerous if not more dangerous are completely fine and no one even thinks of them as a weapon. It just shows how easy it is to brainwash people into fear and get them to think/conform to whatever you please.

With all that said if there is a rule that says no knives at school AT ALL then this kid should of know better and deserves what he gets. If the facts about the rules are correct and there is a ban on knives that are only considered weapons then I think the kid should of not been suspended and even more so since he was wrongfully identified in the first place. If it is the second case I would press for legal action against the school.

[styx]

I actually agree that there should be limitations when one is around kids. Not all of them are responsible and some aren't all too bright. Case and point the kid that almost broke his neck yesterday during a visit to the ZOO with the group I volunteer with.

The hard line in my opinion should be the "tool of the trade". While it might sound silly, I for one would be very disappointed if I walked into a room full of aspiring IT techs and found no tool on any one of them (or in their bags, jackets, etc.).

Being honest, I think some kind of restriction (Of course staff is exempt from this) in book is good to prevent or limit students bringing knives to schools with ill intent. Knives restriction in school is different from firearm restriction, as firearms are already much harder to obtain by a minor.

This is exactly what I meant. I remember one of my high school colleges bringing a butterfly knife to our school just to be the cool guy. Equating that with a fairly common SAK or LM knock off was complete and utter bs in my opinion as it was a technical school and on an average day we'd spend at least 2 periods in labs where equipment might fail but the tools to fix it simply weren't there (there were only some labs that had tools, however those were geared towards making things so no wonder).
In the end the guy got a pass because his father was a cop

[raistlin65]

I do agree that people are in this state of worry and fear about things (in my opinion the news) portrays as weapons such as knives, but scissors which are just as dangerous if not more dangerous are completely fine and no one even thinks of them as a weapon.

Many schools have policies against bringing scissors to school, and schools tend to use the blunted type.  So there is awareness.

[captain spaulding]

I do agree that people are in this state of worry and fear about things (in my opinion the news) portrays as weapons such as knives, but scissors which are just as dangerous if not more dangerous are completely fine and no one even thinks of them as a weapon.

Many schools have policies against bringing scissors to school, and schools tend to use the blunted type.  So there is awareness.

Shows how long it's been since I have been in a school. I used to carry a folder clipped onto my pocket every day at school.

[16VGTIDave]

I EDC'd a SAK from grade 6 onwards. It was a common occurrence for a teacher to ask me to cut, tighten, poke a hole, etc for them when they couldn't find scissors or what ever. When the TV show MacGyver aired, everyone laughed at how he was copying me, and wondered why he didn't have a larger, more useful SAK like my Climber. That was "the good old days" when a tool was a tool until it was used as a weapon.

A few years ago (a couple or 3 decades later), my wife and I were volunteering at my son's school and I needed to cut something. The principal was about to run off to the office to get scissors when I said "I've got it", pulled out my Champ without a though and used the scissors. The principal turned pale and looked like he was going to faint! He then whispered that he wouldn't say anything if I kept my Champ hidden for the rest of the day, but that I couldn't bring it onto the school property again. I apologized and excused myself, as I had to be going. He asked what was wrong and I told him that "I'd rather be a man than go naked" or something to that effect. Apparently the rules are flexible when volunteers are concerned, as my Champ and I were quietly encouraged to stay and help. It is good he didn't find out what was in my wife's purse (Kershaw Shallot and a Leatherman Squirt, both pink!), he might have had a heart attack! This shows how ridiculous things are these days, when everything is considered a weapon regardless of how it is used.

[Kampfer]

I used to carry my Skulletool to my son's school, used openly in classroom in front of his teachers, and also spotted few others dad's had Leatherman on their belts. The school my son attends is a private Christian school, so I guess the staff and parents are some what conservative in nature, less alarming see such things.

But that soon to be change as we will be sending him to public school after this summer, that was the reason I looked the laws on knife carry.

[tjfarrington2000]

I have experience with the whole principal-thing, I am a freshman at a high school in the area, and I play in the orchestra, we were setting up risers for a vocal performance when a screw sheared in a hole, and we couldn't get it out. I pulled out my S54 tool chest plus, and I gave it to him. He gave it back to me, and pulled out a champ, school colors, with our logo on it! He told me that every teacher had one, and I looked in to it. Sure enough, they all do. There are no weapon rules in my school, but there just as much a suggestion as driving laws in China, so I carry a classic SD and that only.


Sent from my iPhone using A box of monkeys on a treadmill and a quantum leap

[mrynnr]

When I was in college I used to carry my leatherman wave/charge clipped to my pocket. They don't really care here.

[captain spaulding]

When I was in college I used to carry my leatherman wave/charge clipped to my pocket. They don't really care here.

Just goes to show its all about location.