DECATUR — Trap shooting will be an official school-sponsored sport in Decatur. School board members voted to approve the activity at the Dec. 20 meeting.
Agricultural teacher Lisa Barrett led a community trap shooting team last year, which was comprised of mostly Decatur students. Trap shooting - a fast-growing sport in the high school and college levels - is supported by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, she said.
At the November meeting, school board members gave Barrett a temporary go ahead so she could hold a meeting with parents, but asked her to comeup with a written policy for the sport before they would give a final approval.
Barrett presented the rules and procedures for the shooting team at the board’s Dec. 20 meeting. The policies include a requirement that all students participate in a hunter education course by Feb. 1, maintain a grade point average of 2.0, and have not missed more than the 10 days of absences allowedby the school district. Students in grades six through 12 are eligible to participate on the team and will use either a 12- or 20-gauge shotgun.
Barrett wrote two versions of a policy about weapons on school property. One version stated that no guns or ammunition would ever be allowed on school property or an a school bus. The other version stated that guns and ammunition could beallowed on school property and the bus only on the days of competition and would be kept locked by the teacher and stored away from students.
Board member Darleen Holly said she was concerned about the guns being transported on the school bus and coming onto school property. Board member Kevin Smith also pointed out there are federal laws banning guns from school grounds.
Barrett replied that it is her understanding that weapons are allowed on school property for instructional purposes only.She pointed out that guns would be needed for hunter safety courses and parent demonstrations.
“Let’s check with the legal people on that,” Holly said.
Barrett said the club could operate without bringing guns on campus and could meet elsewhere for demonstrations.
“You can decide what you want for the club,” she told the board.
Superintendent Larry Ben said he would check the law on bringing weapons on campus for instructional purposes and pointed out that it would be a good idea to have a policy in place on the matter in case other organizations want to use school facilities for hunter education courses in the future.
Other safety measures in the policies are:
◊The coach is responsible for all the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission supplied shells, targets, trap machine and guns on loan. Students will never take these home.
◊All students will practice muzzle control of their gun and follow instructions when rotating through stations. Muzzles are to be straight in the air or pointed at the ground.
◊Students will never load a gun unless on the field in a station, and only one shell will be loaded. Actions will remain open or broken over until it is the student’s turn to shoot. This will be supervised by the coach.
◊Students must wear eye protection and ear protection supplied by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
◊Students must attend a minimum of five practices to compete.
Decatur will participate in the regional shoot in Lonoke, on May 20-21. The state shoot will be held on June 3-4 for the top 15 teams in each division.
News, Pages 1 on 12/29/2010