Michigan high court weighs legality of guns on school grounds

April 11 (UPI) -- The Michigan Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments Wednesday for two cases that could allow guns to be carried on public school grounds.

The state presently allows schools to make their own rules on gun restrictions on school property.

School boards in Ann Arbor and Clio Township, near Flint, have enacted complete bans on firearms and parents legally carrying visible firearms at campuses have been ordered to leave.

Six years ago, the Michigan Court of Appeals upheld the boards' authority to require carriers to leave school grounds. State law, however, also allows concealed pistol permits on campuses if the firearm is openly holstered.

At issue is the legal concept of pre-emption, with plaintiffs arguing Michigan law cannot be overridden by school boards. The court will decide if they can be.

The rules were changed in both communities after a parent in each case carried a firearm to school property.

Clio Are School District adopted its rules in 1996 and Ann Arbor Public Schools in 2015. The case against the Clio district began last year when a parent attempted to visit his child's elementary school while openly carrying a licensed firearm, and was denied access multiple times.

Herman and advocacy group Michigan Open Carry later filed suit against the district.

A parent with a concealed carry permit took a licensed firearm to an Ann Arbor high school in 2015, which sparked that suit, which also involves Michigan Open Carry.