Establishing a rifle team at my school???

[LkWinnipesaukee]

I go to a public high school in Massachusetts. After talking to some kids, I think I want to try to get a rifle team/club going at our school. I was thinking that the school could supply .22 LR rifles and ammo, and set up a range for the kids to compete/practice on. Safety and basic firearm handling will be taught. We have plenty of room for at least a 100 yard range.

I dont know exactly how to go about doing this, or even if its possible, but I'd like to try. I think I'll shoot an email over to the superintendant, principal, and athletic director and see what they have to say... It will almost surely not happen, but its worth a try...


Any opinions or advice on this? I need as much advice (and luck) as I can get.

Thanks

 

[learn2shoot]

Contact NSSF

Call this number 203.426.1320 or check them out on line at www.nssf.org

 

[Jim K]

In Massachusetts? In the domain of His Royal Majesty, King Teddy the First, Blessed Be His Holy Name?

I suspect an e-mail to the principal on such a subject will result in clearing the school and having you placed under arrest for planning another "Columbine". The only question would be whether you get life in prison or life in a "reeducation" facility.

Jim

 

[Gord]

Good luck, but yes, high school and Massachusetts... not good odds.

Are these 'some kids' at least somewhat experienced with firearms and mature enough to make a good argument for your cause, or do they just like the idea of looking cool and shooting things? I don't mean any offense, but I am a product of the public school system (albeit the CA public school system, but...) and high school kids tend to be careless dumbasses. I know that I wouldn't want to let any of the guys (or most of the gals) I went to classes with anywhere near a firearm. I also can't think of a better way to receive a resounding "NO" from the principal than trying to make your case for 'look, a bunch of other people want this too!' using Darrel the hip-hop pistolero and Jason the Bruce Willis wannabe to back you up.

You're also going to have to do some fundraising, because very few high schools, and certainly not one in a blue state, are going to use precious funding to buy guns for kids. The antis would have a field day.

Present the idea, get some mature and responsible friends to back you up, maybe take a poll around the school to see how much support and interest you'd really have, and get ready to do some bake sales and find sponsors if by some miracle the idea is okayed.

 

[tanksoldier]

Don't make your club a school-sponsored one at all. Find a gun club or range that would sponsor you instead.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

I would definitely try to locate someone who's doing something similar, and find out how they went about it.

No offense, but I really don't think a school administrator will take the idea seriously coming from a student. If you ask, he'll say "no" and it will be settled. If you work up a really solid plan with support from NSSF, like learntoshoot mentioned, and support from community members, other school teams, etc., then they might be able to make a case.

For inspiration, and maybe a few ideas, check out posts by AZRickD, who works with the Wickensburg HS High Power rifle team in Arizona. Yep, teenagers with AR-15s, life is sweet. Kids these days are so spoiled...

-MV

 

[EarlofSandwich]

Gun club in Massachusetts???

(eyes rollback in head and keel over crashing onto floor)

They would be more receptive to having registered sex offenders living near the school.

 

[History Prof]

Gun club in Massachusetts???

(eyes rollback in head and keel over crashing onto floor)

They would be more receptive to having registered sex offenders living near the school.

You're probably right, but it is better to fight the fight (the way learntoshoot, MatthewVanitas and TNinja point out) and lose than it is to roll over and call it quits from day one of the germ of an idea. At least if they fight, the might get some positive publicity and maybe change a few open minds.

 

[LkWinnipesaukee]

I'm looking at the NSSF site, but don't quite see what they can do to help me.

 

[jerkyman45]

You should try and get a team or group together and go to a shooting range. I'm just south of you in RI, and I can tell you now no high school will go for it. Liability is too much of an issue for them, I tried to get one going down here a couple years ago. I tried petitions, I negotiated with the faculty, I did everything I could but it just wouldn't happen. If you're dead set on getting a school rifle team and not just a team that meets at the local range, give it your best and I wish you luck, but don't get your hopes up. Try and collect signatures, talk to zoning board guys, try whatever you can and I wish you luck.

 

[p35bhp09]

I don't have any input on how to proceed but if you do get it approved and are willing to tell us what school you go to I will make a sizable donation to the school to be used for the rifle club. And don't feel that people are trying to be negative. I guarantee that every single person on here supports what you are trying to do. But unfortunately it will be an uphill battle.

 

[LkWinnipesaukee]

Thanks for the offer P35 . Yes, I realize that I am probably out of my mind and that this will probably never happen.
Worst case, I get tazed one day walking into school and they search me and clear the school.

Seriously, if this doesn't work out, I'll probably just get a bunch of people together and go to the range. And have some shirts made

I'm writing my letter now. I'll probably have it finished by the end of the week. Lets see what happens...

 

[dracphelan]

If your school already has a JROTC program, contact them. Otherwise, as others have said, you would be better off contacting some local shooting ranges and doing this as an afterschool program.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

The off-campus unofficial HS club seems to be a far, far easier way to go.

I'd advise that you start a new thread with some title like "Shooting club opportunities for highschoolers in XYZtown, MA?" and see what comes up. Might be that we have members from around your town that can help you put something together. There might even already be some sort of youth club that you didn't know about, and you could be their "XYZ Highschool Liaison" and bring them in fresh recruits.

I really hope we've got someone to help you out. It's far easier to plink at the range by yourself, then go home and complain that kids don't shoot these days, but it's way more fun to get a bunch of kids to come out and try shooting. Surprisingly, it's better for the cause too. Whodathunkit?

Just post a really clear thread with a detailed title, and I bet we have some locals with good advice. Good luck in your efforts, it doesn't take much to be a very powerful advocate for the 2A.

-MV