Outline of the state of North Carolina
State
North Carolina
Complies with GFSA

Category
Firearms or Weapons on School Campuses

Category
Firearms or Weapons on School Campuses

State law complies with minimum requirements of the federal Gun-Free Schools Act (GFSA).

North Carolina General Statutes 115C-288 Powers and duties of principal

(g)  To Report Certain Acts to Law Enforcement and the Superintendent. -- When the principal has personal knowledge or actual notice from school personnel that an act has occurred on school property involving assault resulting in serious personal injury, sexual assault, sexual offense, rape, kidnapping, indecent liberties with a minor, assault involving the use of a weapon, possession of a firearm in violation of the law, possession of a weapon in violation of the law, or possession of a controlled substance in violation of the law, the principal shall immediately report the act to the appropriate local law enforcement agency.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the State Board of Education shall not require the principal to report to law enforcement acts in addition to those required to be reported by law.

For purposes of this subsection, "school property" shall include any public school building, bus, public school campus, grounds, recreational area, or athletic field, in the charge of the principal.

The principal or the principal's designee shall notify the superintendent or the superintendent's designee in writing or by electronic mail regarding any report made to law enforcement under this subsection. This notification shall occur by the end of the workday in which the incident occurred when reasonably possible but not later than the end of the following workday. The superintendent shall provide the information to the local board of education.

Nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted to interfere with the due process rights of school employees or the privacy rights of students.

Policy Type
Statute

North Carolina General Statutes 115C-390.1. State policy and definitions

(4) Educational property. -- Any school building or bus, school campus, grounds, recreational area, athletic field, or other property under the control of any local board of education or charter school. (5) Expulsion. -- The indefinite exclusion of a student from school enrollment for disciplinary purposes. (6) Firearm. -- Any of the following: a. A weapon, including a starter gun, which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive. b. The frame or receiver of any such weapon. c. Any firearm muffler or firearm silencer. The term shall not include an inoperable antique firearm, a BB gun, stun gun, air rifle, or air pistol. (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article, the policies and procedures for the discipline of students shall be consistent with the requirements of the Gun Free Schools Act, 20 U.S.C. § 7151, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 29 U.S.C. § 1400, et seq., section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 701, et seq., and with other federal laws and regulations.

Policy Type
Statute

North Carolina General Statutes 115C-390.10 365-day suspension for gun possession.

(a) All local boards of education shall develop and implement written policies and procedures, as required by the federal Gun Free Schools Act, 20 U.SC. § 7151, requiring suspension for 365 calendar days of any student who is determined to have brought or been in possession of a firearm or destructive device on educational property, or to a school-sponsored event off of educational property. A principal shall recommend to the superintendent the 365-day suspension of any student believed to have violated board policies regarding weapons. The superintendent has the authority to suspend for 365 days a student who has been recommended for such suspension by the principal when such recommendation is consistent with board policies. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the superintendent may modify, in writing, the required 365-day suspension for an individual student on a case-by-case basis. The superintendent shall not impose a 365-day suspension if the superintendent determines that the student took or received the firearm or destructive device from another person at school or found the firearm or destructive device at school, provided that the student delivered or reported the firearm or destructive device as soon as practicable to a law enforcement officer or a school employee and had no intent to use such firearm or destructive device in a harmful or threatening way.

(b) The principal must report all incidents of firearms or destructive devices on educational property or at a school-sponsored event as required by G.S. 115C-288(g) and State Board of Education policy.

(c) Nothing in this provision shall apply to a firearm that was brought onto educational property for activities approved and authorized by the local board of education, provided that the local board of education has adopted appropriate safeguards to protect student safety.

(d) At the time the student and parent receive notice that the student is suspended for 365 days under this section, the superintendent shall provide notice to the student and the student's parent of the right to petition the local board of education for readmission pursuant to G.S. 115C-390.12.

(e) The procedures described in G.S. 115C-390.8 apply to students facing a 365-day suspension pursuant to this section.

(f) Students who are suspended for 365 days pursuant to this section shall be considered for alternative educational services consistent with the provisions of G.S. 115C-390.9.

Policy Type
Statute