Outrage of the Week Update - School Reconsiders Shooting Competition Ban

A North Carolina school district is backing off a decision that prevented a group of young sportsmen and women from participating in the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Hunter Education Tournament.

Last month we reported on the outrageous decision by the East Wake County High School principal, backed by an area superintendent, to prohibit East Wake's marksmanship team from competing in this state-sponsored off-campus event (see Grassroots Alert 4/11/2008).  Supposedly, participating in the tournament would violate the school district's ban on firearms and deadly weapons.

This absurd and unjust decision earned so much national attention that policy revisions are now under way.  School board member Lori Millberg, an advocate of allowing the tournament, agrees that the decision was unreasonable, saying her children have taken, and benefited from, the hunter education course offered at East Wake High.  She considers shooting sports to be safer than other sports sponsored by the school. 

Lawyers and insurance experts are working with the school board on policy changes, and a final decision is expected in June.  In the meantime, the safety-trained, responsible 16-member marksmanship team should feel proud of its accomplishments and encouraged by the pro-gun supporters who made their voices heard.