Board Approves Hunter Education Policy
August 20, 2008 - The Board of Education gave final approval Tuesday night to a new policy, Policy 5135 for Hunter Education Programs, to address school participation in hunter safety programs.The board’s policy notes the state Wildlife Resources Commission has established a Hunter Education Program “to promote the safe handling of firearms and archery equipment, teach responsible, ethical conduct by hunters, educate sportsmen in the various methods and the proper use of equipment in harvesting game, and endorse the important of wildlife management laws and regulations.”
In the policy, the board describes offering hunter education courses in school, the requirement for parent permission and the limitations on activities involving weapons.
The policy states the hunter education course may be taught only by a NC certified hunter education instructor and only in a course that includes hunter education as part of the Standard Course of Study, or as part of a school-sponsored co-curricular activity.
Parental permission is required for students to participate in such a course. The policy states “Students may only participate in a hunter education course and related activities including weapons with notarized, written parental permission.”
The board policy sets limitations on activities involving weapons and establishes four requirements:
- Participating students must have successfully completed the approved hunter education course;
- A certified hunter education instructor must to be present at all time during such activities;
- All applicable safety rules outlined in the NC Hunter Education Shooting Tournament Official Rules shall be followed; and
- Activities may only be conducted at approved shooting ranges.
The policy states: “nothing in this policy shall permit any individual to possess, handle, or use any weapon, as defined by Policy 6427, on any school district property at any time.”
-wcpss-