Michigan gun nut can openly carry his pistol at daughter's school despite district ban: judge

A Michigan judge ruled that a gun-loving father can openly carry his pistol inside his daughter's elementary school despite objections from education officials.

Kenneth Herman filed a lawsuit in March against the Clio Area School District after he was barred from entering Edgerton Elementary multiple times to pick up his daughter because he was openly carrying the handgun, reported The Flint Journal.

The school district declared all of its properties as weapons-free zones and banned Herman from openly carrying his pistol.

State law prohibits concealed firearms on school property, but the statute permits gun owners with concealed carry permits -- including Herman -- to openly carry firearms in schools.

Genesee Circuit Judge Archie Hayman rejected the school district's claim that state law allows administrators to enact policies to protect students -- including a prohibition against guns.

The judge sided with Herman and Michigan Open Carry's argument that local school districts did not have the authority to ban guns if state law allows them on campus.

Herman said he's looking forward to taking his pistol to his daughter's school.

School officials said they may appeal the ruling and challenged lawmakers to remove any ambiguities in the law to allow administrators to prohibit weapons on their campuses.

"The legislature needs to step up and get the focus on education, and not on some guy who wants to carry a gun in a school," said Fletcher Spears, superintendent for the Clio Area School District.