After many failed attempts in previous years, Iowa Republican lawmakers are pushing House File 621 (HF621), a bill that would allow permit holders to keep firearms in their locked vehicles on school grounds. Supporters say it protects constitutional rights, but critics argue it would endanger students.
Holding a 67-seat majority in the Iowa House, HF621 is strongly supported by Republicans. Representative Samantha Fett expressed support for the bill, “What the bill does is bring clarity and fairness to responsible gun owners who follow the law everywhere else they go,” said Fett. “It recognizes that Second Amendment rights do not disappear in a parking lot.”
Iowa Representative Jeff Shipley also defended the intent behind the bill. “You’re turning law-abiding citizens into felons and creating kind of an unworkable arrangement if someone wishes to exercise their constitutional Second Amendment rights,” claimed Shipley.
Chair of the Iowans for Gun Safety organization Art Roche, responded critically to Shipley’s position, “If Shipley is interested in exercising his Second Amendment rights, [he] should go out into his backyard and shoot his gun at beer cans.”
Currently, it is illegal to harbor a firearm on school grounds, but House File 621 is an attempt to change that. As Fett explained, the bill’s purpose is to act as a “practical fix for law-abiding citizens.” However, not all citizens share Fett’s perspective.
As legislators introduce new bills attempting to increase school safety, educators are seeing a lack of understanding of the education system from their representatives. School resource officer Deputy Curt Wilson responded to Fetts’ statement on why she supports the bill.
The bill has received significant criticism for its impact on children’s safety. Chair of the Iowans for Gun Safety organization Art Roche has concerns about the bill’s potential consequences. “Given the dismal history of school shootings in the United States, [those who oppose the bill] think Iowa legislators must do nothing to make it easier for school shooters to access their firearms in school parking lots, on school property or in school vehicles,” said Roche.
According to research, an estimated three million children are exposed to gun violence each year. For some Iowans, children’s safety matters far more than firearm rights.
Pleasant Valley Junior Xavier Vesey shared a student perspective. “It is reasonable to assume that students and educators do understand the point of the bill, but still do not find the reasoning acceptable because it infringes on their own safety.”
The bill would not only impact students but also redefine safety protocols for Iowa schools.
At Pleasant Valley, this change would alter the established safety plan. PV’s plan relies on Deputy Wilson and technological measures.
For Deputy Wilson, if the bill were to pass, he would restructure PV’s plan by working with the administration. “[…] first discuss safety with the PV Administration and the Sheriff, and we would come together to make a safety plan. We could have more day shift patrol deputies here at the beginning and end of school,” shared Wilson. “I would continue to monitor all cameras on the exterior of the building during those hours. I would still be out in the parking lots by myself until the first period began.”
As the debate continues, HF621 remains a point of division among Iowa lawmakers and residents. If the bill were to pass, as Fett believes, children and educators would live in an era where fear is minimized and security is valued. HF621 will continue to raise questions about how the state balances constitutional rights with the safety of its youth.
