Think I am going to be restricted from carrying daily...

[novalty]

Well I've been looking for a devoted carry piece to bring with me everyday to work, however, after looking into the laws in Maine for concealed carry I don't think I am going to be able to. Every morning on my way to work I drop my oldest son off at school, according to State Law in Maine I cannot possess on school property

A person may not possess a firearm on public school property or discharge a firearm within 500 feet of school property.

I am not going to un-arm in the parking lot, as there are a lot of people around in the morning at drop-off--don't want to get arrested if someone seems me placing a firearm in a lock box. The only alternative I can think of is, would be placing the firearm in the a locked secured box when I leave the house, and take it out once I get to work, then again I don't want to scare co-workers in the parking lot in the morning. Anyone else dealing with a similar situation, would appreciate some suggestions and advice.

Thanks in advance!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ccw9mm]

A person may not possess a firearm on public school property or discharge a firearm within 500 feet of school property.

I am not going to un-arm in the parking lot,

If that's the law in your state, it looks like if armed then you would indeed need to first disarm before coming onto school property, including the parking lot (if that's school property), assuming there isn't some exception in the statutes accommodating the parking lot for the exact reasons you indicate.

An easy-on, easy-off holster design sounds like it could help, assuming you want to stick with a belt holster mode of carry. Consider an OWB paddle holster, which ought to allow you to be able to easily arm/disarm inside your car without worrying so much about anyone seeing you do so.

Such as: Fist #18 Murnak Paddle, or the Kramer MSP Paddle.

Another option might be a "belly band" style of carry, such as via Smart Carry or similar.

[novalty]

I am looking to carry IWB, and since I wear tucked in dress shirt and pants for work, I won't be able to carry OWB.

[oakchas]

Um.. can you drop him at the curb?

If "on school property" means "on school property," you couldn't even disarm in the parking lot...

It's kinda like the post office... technically, you cannot use the drive up mailboxes with a weapon in your vehicle if those mailboxes are next to the parking lot where you have to drive onto their property.

[MamaMaria]

I struggled with the issue of school drop-off/pick-up as well. Is it possible to drop-off/pick-up at the street, or park your car and walk your child just up to the school property line? I'm not familiar with Maine's school zone laws. Based on what you posted, it doesn't look like there's no "500 or 1,000 ft gun-free zone" or anything. As long as you don't drive into the parking lot (if that's a possibility), looks like you'd be within the law you posted.

[novalty]

Well apart of the problem is that the school doesn't have much of a parking lot and is very close to the main road. My son is a kindergartener, and I am not going to drop him off from the street for safety issues.

**Street view pic from Google maps.

[steffen]

Even if you head the firearm in a separate compartment in your vehicle, they could probably still get you for possessing the firearm if you drove into the school parking lot. This is probably one of the questions you should ask your attorney. A one-hour consult is well worth it if you are going to carry, and during the same consult you can ask all sorts of questions about local statues, prosecutors, law enforcement, and your rights and responsibilities while carrying as an employee.

[GH]

I have the same problem in Wisconsin. I take my grandson to school in the morning & have to go unarmed. When I need to go on after dropping him off I just drop him at the road in front of school without entering the parking lot. He's an 8th grader so it's no big problem for him. Our problem magnifies itself because it's a church school which means that the church is also out of bounds. Our church councils & pastors checked with the authorities to see if there could be a variance in the law when school wasn't in session but it was a no-go. There's no way around it unfortunately.

[JaySkiBum]

Maine has a recent law stating that employers must allow employees to store their firearm out of sight locked up in their vehicle, and I think that applies even if the employer does not allow firearms. They also added it to include State employees as well. I have no idea how that might apply to a school zone but it seems like a very gray zone.

[oakchas]

Well apart of the problem is that the school doesn't have much of a parking lot and is very close to the main road. My son is a kindergartener, and I am not going to drop him off from the street for safety issues.

Well then... I think you have to go with the gun locked up as per transport rules in Maine... and maybe not even that way on the school property... Depending on what Maine means by "possess"... you may not "possess" a firearm on school property... So you would have to leave it at home, go back and get it... strap on... and go about your other bidness for the day...

[joker1]

In Kansas concealed carry permit holders are allowed to have their gun concealed on school property (grounds, parking lots) if dropping off/picking up. You should push for a similar clause in your state.

I'm not gonna say anything further.

[MamaMaria]

Oh poo, my suggestions definitely don't work with that set-up. I was thinking curb/sidewalk, with school entrance 10 feet from sidewalk (I'm used to urban type schools). I agree that someone (lawyer) familiar with Maine law would need to determine how possession on school property is explicitly defined.

[hi_altitude]

Um.. can you drop him at the curb?

If "on school property" means "on school property," you couldn't even disarm in the parking lot...

It's kinda like the post office... technically, you cannot use the drive up mailboxes with a weapon in your vehicle if those mailboxes are next to the parking lot where you have to drive onto their property.

You can drive up to a Post Office and use the mailbox, you can even disarm in their parking lot. As the Regulation states it is only illegal within their facility:
(a) Except as provided in subsection (d), whoever knowingly
possesses or causes to be present a firearm or other dangerous
weapon in a Federal facility (other than a Federal court facility),
or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned
not more than 1 year, or both.

[BadHabit]

In Kansas concealed carry permit holders are allowed to have their gun concealed on school property (grounds, parking lots) if dropping off/picking up. You should push for a similar clause in your state.

Maine is such a liberal state that would never fly. It just pisses me off that I am here for 3 months and they don't honor any of my other state licenses.

[scorpion12]

South Carolina used to lack provisions in our CCW laws for this. It was a compromise that was accepted to get CCW approved in the first place. Once it was approved to make SC a shall issue state, work was begun on modifying the laws.

Just within the past 2 years have we seen the law be modified to allow South Carolinians with CCW permits to have their weapon in their vehicle. That change allows us to pick up and drop off our children and not have to go home first and disarm. If we must leave our vehicle, we're required to leave the weapon in the locked vehicle.

The same applies for picking up children from day care centers as well. Used to be we couldn't do it. Now we can. Still have to leave the gun in the car though. That's going to be the next battle... that and allowing us to CCW into places that sell alcohol for on premises consumption... like restaurants, bar/grills, almost everywhere execpt fast food.

Work to change the law!