State Journal: Exceptions; Fingerprints

Following the "zero tolerance" trend--and a federal mandate--Louisiana lawmakers last year voted to require that students who bring firearms onto school property be expelled for a year.

But some advocates of gun rights added a provision exempting students who bring guns to school for a school class, like riflery. The law would aslo ban expulsions of students whose guns are "stored in a properly parked student vehicle in the absence of circumstances evidencing intent to utilize them in a criminal manner."

"The reasoning was, maybe the kid had been out squirrel hunting and forgotten about the gun in his pickup," said Winfred Sibille, the chief lobbyist for the Louisiana School Boards Association. "They were good intentions, but it's going to make it very difficult for us to enforce." It might also cause the law to fall short of federal requirements. (See Education...