NJ Gun Clubs Threaten Lawsuit Over Lacy Township Students’ Gun Range Photos

Right to keep and bear arms
Two students at Lacey Township High-school, NJ were suspended for posting a picture of themselves shooting guns at a private gun range with the caption “fun day at the range”.

Lacey Township NJ – -(Ammoland.com)- Two students at Lacey Township High-school, NJ were suspended for posting a picture of themselves shooting guns at a private gun range with the caption “fun day at the range“. The school’s zero tolerance policy says that students cannot be in possession of weapons at any time, whether on or off campus.

Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs today demanded in a lawyer letter that the Lacey Township School District immediately rescind disciplinary actions taken against several students for posting social media photos of themselves near firearms at a target range.

Lacy NJ High School Students Suspended over Gun Range Photos
Lacy NJ High School Students Suspended over Gun Range Photos
Lacey Township School Student Handbook
Lacey Township School Student Handbook

The student handbook in that district provides that students are subject to suspension if they are “reported to be in possession of a weapon of any type for any reason or purpose WHETHER ON OR OFF SCHOOL GROUNDS during the academic year.”

Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs attorney Dan Schmutter penned the lawyer letter, which also demands that the school district rescind its unconstitutional policy, clear the records of the students disciplined, and apologize to the students and their families.

ANJRPC Demand Letter to Lacey NJ Schools Regarding Suspension Of Students with Range Photos.

“Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs is prepared to sue if the school district refuses to do the right thing,” said ANJRPC Executive Director Scott Bach. “Schools do not have the authority to chill the First or Second Amendment rights of their students off of school grounds, and this blatant infringement of constitutional rights will not be tolerated.”

The Lacey Township School District did not reply to our request for comments.

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Tim

From Josh (above) “The family is probably rich and their shooting buddies are friends with a member that’s a lawyer and they half assed something together with dubious legal reasoning of poorly worded handbook to try to get the kid off the hook for whatever he really did wrong.” Note: The school district’s board came up with the policy and printed it in the handbook. The parents didn’t come up with the policy. Forget about what the pupil did or didn’t do over the weekend at the gun range. A cease and desist letter should have been sent when the… Read more »

Janek

I remember Forked River and Lacey Township before all that New York Liberal Money spoiled it. The 60’s were great!

Josh

The law they specify off campus is not allowed for off campus school activities. “During the Academic Year” in context is obviously just a poor wording of off campus school activities. I wasn’t 100% sure but the fact that they reference the law directly makes me nearly positive. ftp://www.njleg.state.nj.us/20062007/S0500/246_I1.PDF “Zero Tolerance for Guns Act,” P.L.1995, c.127 (C.18A:37-7 et seq.), and the disposition, if known, of these pupils by any law enforcement or prosecuting agency. Under this law a pupil “who is convicted or adjudicated delinquent for possession of a firearm or a crime while armed with a firearm or found… Read more »

Douglas Kuykendall

I hope the parents sue the schools for everything they have.NJ is one of the top communist states.There is a difference between someone having a good day at the gun range and some kids posting other threatening stuff in which the LE needs to investigate.The school has no legal ground for kids off school property,unless school sanction activity.These school needs to be taught a huge lesson

tomcat

So this little Hitler type school system is backing their truck up. Good deal except that the ones in charge need to be handed their walking papers without a letter of recognition so some other system doesn’t fall into the trap. They forgot who pays their wages and who their boss is.

Kate

I went to the school’s website and pulled their handbook. I can find nothing in the handbook that matches what is posted here. The pages numbers do not add up and neither do the wording. Do we know that this isnt a bad game of “telephone” where someone is starting a rumor to see how far it will go? Because I can find nothing credible to back up this story at all. I noticed that the “cease and desist” letter has been removed as well, Maybe people jumped to conclusions?

Michael

The handbook has been changed in the last few days; since this became a legal action against the Lacey School System. They were VERY QUICK in removing the offending, nonsense language and posting the new (but still “in process”) revised handbook. I offer this information as a concerned resident of Lacey, who had 4 children graduate from the HS.

Roland Vanags

Wait until the school district bans church attendance;attendance at 2A rallies,support for Trump,etc.THIS POLICY IS QUASI-SLAVERY.

Jim VanCise

Church Attendance and 2A rallies are Constitutionally protected. “support for trump ” is grounds for deportation, however.

Kenneth Waggoner

So supporting our duly elected President is grounds for deportation? Right got it…….wow your as bad as the liberals.

John mastro

Our forefathers were a lot smarter than we . They knew that households with weapons made unlikely that an enemy would be successful in any attempt at occupation or that a corrupt govt. could go unchecked. There are countries in Europe who were occupied by the Germans during WW2 who made laws that every house have a gun, they Vowed never to be occupied again. Ironically they have the lowest crime rates anywhere. The administration needs to be held accountable instead of admitting that a mistake was made,the’re back tracking and trying to cover it up , and twisting their… Read more »

Jim VanCise

That was then, and this is now,John. Unless your Household has access to Attack Helicopters and Armored Vehicles, I suggest that you severely limit your “Red Dawn” activities.

Hawk

Jim VanCise,
Your comments to John are irrelevant. He didn’t say or imply anything to bring any sensible person to a Red Dawn conclusion. Interesting that you are not aware US citizens can possess and own armored vehicles, as well as fully automatic weapons.
In the future perhaps you might think first before posting.

Jim VanCise

Well, I can’t seem to find where “Hawk” replied to me, so I’ll just write it here. Several of my former students harbor some bizarre hope that they and their buddies will mount some sort of “Red Dawn” activities with their AR’s (I might add that only one of them has any Infantry experience -and I suspect that one either got dropped on his head or is just shootin’ his mouth off). I’m well aware that if you have deep enough pockets you can buy a license for just about anything. I’m also very much aware that you can buy… Read more »

Michael

I am now in my 60s & living in Lacey Township. When I was growing up, my father was in law enforcement in another part of Ocean County; for just about my entire life. Among my earliest memories are handling his service revolver…I would always ask to “see your gun”, and he never refused me. Around 7 years old I began going to the range with him. It wasn’t long before I began shooting myself…with his tutelage (Dad was the department Firearms Instructor, as well as a self-taught gunsmith), I became an expert marksman! I even fired along side Dad… Read more »

Jim VanCise

I’m a retired Social Studies Teacher,Mike . I don’t live in NJ, but I’m sorta shocked that a School District would enact such a Policy-it doesn’t appear to be defensible., Legally. I live in Pennsylvania, and our District has a School Trap Shooting Team (we have won several State Championships, in fact.

Michael

FOLLOW-UP: The Lacey school system has surrendered! As per information released today by ANJRPC; the town is “in negotiations” with the students and their families, and has already revised & published a new HS handbook. The ANJRPC has also asked concerned residents “to not aggressively inject themselves” into the situation at this time to allow the “private discussions” to proceed unimpeded. They (the ANJRPC) has promised to closely monitor the situation and keep us all posted.

Douglas Kuykendall

NJ Another one of the few communist states we have in America.Problem dumbasses of that state keep voting in assholes that does this stuff.School needs sued for millions.That’s the only thing that will break them.

Bill Walters

Unfortunately, the proceeds from any winning litigation will come out of the law abiding gun owning NJ taxpayers pockets.

John Adams

No — you need to SUE THE SCHOOL “OFFICIALS” for 18 U.S. Code § 242 – Deprivation of rights under color of law. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/242 Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall… Read more »

Helenae sabin

Why unfortunate? You put these ifiots into office! Fire them!

Phillip Laban

It will also make sure that the school administrators don’t abuse the tax paying students and parents who are getting criminally abused by the school system. The policy the last sentence of it clearly states DURING ACADEMIC school year. Academics mean reading, writing and arthmetic. Mean during school hours of Monday through Friday from school start time to school end time only. The school has no jurisdiction over NON ACADEMIC school hours which before and after school and the weekends. So the school is using threats and intimidation and are kidnapping and falsely imprisoning the boys (since they are under… Read more »

butch

First Full Disclosure: I am, since the year 2000 a “school administrator”. People need to read the “Handbook’ again really closely. These illiterate troglodytic mouth breathers have a policy that forbids student interaction with WEAPONS; not simply guns. So, by this Policy, ANY student who uses a knife, a hammer, or any other object which is at least commonly used as a weapon should immediately face suspension for a year. If the school has a wood shop gives students hammers or allows the lunch to be eaten with any cutlery at all then the administration is culpable in the rules… Read more »

Phillip Laban

The academic school year is Monday through Friday from school start time to school end time… At no other time are students receiving school academic training. The policy clearly states.. DURING ACADEMIC school year or academic school hours. After school hours is not ruled by Schools policies. The boys were exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of speech by posting the picture on NON school social media. They were exercising their rights to learn how to use a firearm under a responsible manner at a legal gun range with legally qualified instructors. The school system using duress and threats against… Read more »

MamaBear

Sad,sad,I would LOVE for my son’s school to try that! We shoot together regularly, he’s had his own Mossberg .22 Plinkster since he was 11! I’ve posted several pics over the years ou’d us shooting, guns and bows! I’m so angry for these parents&students, I hope they do not give up, fight for their rights!

MadMike

Imagine this school rule ” No student may engage in any activity of any type protected by the 1st Amendment, for any reason or purpose WHETHER ON OR OFF SCHOOL GROUNDS during the academic year.”
How would that be received?
Of course we all know the 2A doesn’t count.

Phillip Laban

During academic school year is academic school hours… Academics is reading writing and arthmetic. The school has no jurisdiction over NON ACADEMIC school hours, when they are not receiving any academic instructions. So the school is falsely imprisoning the boys, kidnapping the boys using threats and duress which are criminal offenses and felonies. Using threats as weapons in my opinion. They obtained the social media posts illegaly without any signed search warrant from a NON school social media site. They are infringing on the boys freedom of speech, 4th amendment rights, plus you have the right to bear arms and… Read more »

Tionico

In case anyone ever questions who THINKS they OWN your children, this settles all doubt. The schools CANNOT dictate what students do/don’t do 24 hoirs per day everywhere on the planet. WHO elected these school uffishuls as Universal Parents? Methinks they’ve an attitude and value adjustment in their near future. If I were the parent of either of those young men, I’d make their suspension permanent. It will cost the school the money they get from the state to “be right”. It will look good on them. Of course, no child of mine will EVER find themselves boarding those yellow… Read more »

tomcat

The bad part of this is that the liberal court may find a way to rule for the school system. It’s looking like communism is well and flourishing in this country.

CJ

This has nothing to do with communism, this is blatant totalitarianism pure and simple.

Bill

He just went little further, and named the type of totalitarianism that it happens to be.

Core

Nothing left to do but sue, sue, sue these unconstitutional idiots. Until these aristocrats learn that politics has no place in our constitutional rights, they need to bleed green. Law will right this wrong, what a tragic sign of the times. I hope this school board/faculty learns their lesson and I sincerely hope every knucklehead administrator behind this decision is terminated.

Mike E

notice also that the policy applies to any student “reported” to be in possession, etc. Not much due process there either

John Dow

What’s good for the students must be good for the faculty and staff as well. No knives, bats, screwdrivers, and for gosh sakes, no guns for them. Ever.

Randy C

The gun control debate definitely polarizes people into two camps. If people don’t want guns, then call a constitutional convention and rewrite the second amendment. When I was touring DC I visited the Thomas Jefferson memorial, and I thought I would see something like the constitution is like a rock or the ten commandments never changing always enduring. However was surprised to see Thomas Jefferson state that the constitution has to change as society and people change. (Which makes sense and after some thought made me admired the man even more) As a gun owner if the constitution is changed… Read more »

tomcat

@ Randy C. I hate to burst your bubble but I need to tell you that the Constitution is the law of the land and I do not think it is up for changes. The next thing is your agreement to give up your guns if the change took place. Again, bursting your bubble, the right to defend one’s self is a God given right and no politician can override that. You could very well be a troll, at least about a bubble off level.

EAM

My guess is that all students were allowed (encouraged) to participate in Wednesday’s walkout, because to do otherwise would be infringing their First Amendment Rights. But the school eagerly infringes on students’ second amendment rights. Sounds like a winning lawsuit to me.

MNS

Dang, that is some real BS. Please sue the Lacey Township School District for this BS. I can’t believe that anyone would trample on the Constitution like that. Maybe the school superintendent needs to go back to school.

Wiliam Norr

Make this go viral on social media.

HankB

The few times my high school tried to extend their “authority” to students outside school hours, away from school facilities, and away from school-sponsored events – the response was simple nonviolent noncompliance.. When met with that – the school always caved and never attempted to forcibly apply their edicts.

Bob

THIS is what happens when WE gun owners allow the “LEFTIST/SOCIALIST/COMMUNIST” school boards brain wash our kids into thinking THEY have NO RIGHTS under the CONSTITUTION. For TOO LONG we have sat idle and ignored these leftist policies in our school system. It’s TIME to start standing up of OUR RIGHTS and tell these leftists we will not tolerate any infringement. I am a 7th Generation American whose ancestors fought in the Revolution and the Civil War to defend the Constitution. Should WE do anything less..????????

Laddyboy

Again MY post was not published or included under this editorial.

Heed the Call-up

Ladder, I assume the post below is the one that “didn’t post”? Sometimes it takes a while, occasionally they hit their spam folder or otherwise get flagged for review, at least that is what they have told me. When it happens write to their contact us email address and give them your email address and time that you tried to post. I have had similar issues in the past, but not recently. They also suggest you clear the cache first, before posting.

Tionico

oh get off your whinge. You are the ONLY one posting here who complains your posts are “censored”. Patience is a virtue.

Laddyboy

This NON-COMMON SENSE comes out of a DemocRATic communist/muslem party controlled NJ State.
No surprise here.
When will Americans stop allowing these communists to CONTROL them?????

Leo Smith

Sue the School, Sue the State, and take every dime you can get dfrom the Naziis’ inNJ.. BTW I bought 2 more guns and 1000 rounds of ammo

An Angry farmer

Let me guess, this same school wouldn’t happen to have a “Society for Creative Anachronism” group?

MB

Parents need to remove their children from those schools en mass. When I had a issue with my daughters school 20 years ago, I told them I was taking her to another town’s school, at a cost $5,400 a year to me, and I would be deducing that amount from my annual home property tax payment, they relented. Now a large portion of Lacey Township School District residents need to do the same.

Ugly95

Just wait till baseball season starts. I can’t wait to get pictures of their entire baseball team wielding baseball bats and swinging them with anger and malice. Oh and the softball team.

HMLA-167 Warrior

So the students cannot whittle as stick with a pocket KNIFE, cut their chicken with a kitchen KNIFE, go hunting at all, participate in Boy Scout Archery merit badge activities, participate in 4H camp where they may see a bow and arrow, gut a fish with a KNIFE, etc etc etc. what a stupid policy.

Laddyboy

I am being censored. My comments, although strongly stated, have no curse words nor names mentioned. True, I called the ruling elites communists. What do you call a FOWL that waddles when it walks, quacks for vocalization, swim in water and can fly? Same goes for groups of people who want TOTAL CONTROL over others.

No Bull

Dude, you need to learn some patience. All your whining just makes you look like, well…a liberal puke.

Richard L

Written by Democrats, of course.