Medford school teacher loses again in bid to carry gun to schoolBy Bryan Denson, The Oregonian
November 19, 2009, 4:31PMA Medford high school teacher has lost another round in her bid to carry a concealed handgun to work.
The Oregon Court of Appeals concluded this week that a Jackson County trial court was correct to allow the Medford School District to forbid Shirley Katz from carrying her weapon to South Medford High.
Katz, who has a permit to carry a concealed firearm, sued the Medford School District for its policy forbidding employees from carrying guns on campus. She argued that state law allowed her to carry her 9mm Glock to work.
The trial court, and now the appeals court, disagreed.
"I think public entities throughout the state are really relieved and pleased by this outcome and school districts are particularly pleased," said Tim Gerking, the Medford district's lawyer.
School district officials have the right to regulate weapons on campus, Gerking said, and preventing students and employees from carrying guns to school was a matter of public safety.
Katz's lawyer, Jim Leuenberger, said he was disappointed by Wednesday's decision, which gave his client 14 days to ask for reconsideration of the Court of Appeals decision and 35 days to appeal to the Oregon Supreme Court.
Leuenberger said he and Katz had not decided their next step.
The Oregon Firearms Educational Foundation, a nonprofit gun-rights organization, has paid $12,345 for Katz's legal expenses. The group's director, Kevin Starrett , said Thursday he was still studying the Court of Appeals decision and had not decided whether to encourage Katz to appeal.
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/11/medford_school_teacher_loses_a.html