Which states don’t allow teachers or the general public to carry guns in K–12 schools?
33 states have adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Alabama has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Alaska has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Arizona has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Arkansas has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
California has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Colorado has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Connecticut has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Delaware has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Florida has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- School personnel
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Georgia has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- School personnel
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Hawaii has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Idaho has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- School employees with permission
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Illinois has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Indiana has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Iowa has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- School employees
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Kansas has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- School personnel and any other permit holders
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Kentucky has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Louisiana has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Maine has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Maryland has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Massachusetts has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Michigan has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Minnesota has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Mississippi has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- Any permit holders; School personnel
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Missouri has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- School personnel
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Montana has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Nebraska has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Nevada has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
New Hampshire has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- Any permit holders
No Guns in K-12 Schools
New Jersey has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
New Mexico has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
New York has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
North Carolina has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
North Dakota has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- School personnel
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Ohio has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- Individuals with written authorization of the board of education or governing body, including teachers
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Oklahoma has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- School personnel
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Oregon has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- Any permit holders
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Pennsylvania has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Rhode Island has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
South Carolina has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
South Dakota has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- School personnel
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Tennessee has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- School personnel
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Texas has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- School personnel
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Utah has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- Any permit holders; teachers
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Vermont has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Virginia has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Washington has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
West Virginia has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Wisconsin has adopted this policy
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Wyoming has not adopted this policy
- If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
- School personnel; Any permit holders
What It Does
Several states have dangerous laws aimed at arming K–12 teachers and employees or allowing visitors to carry guns on campus. All states should reject those policies, joining the states featured here. We should keep guns out of schools—and focus instead on solutions like in-school threat assessment teams and secure storage requirements. A full discussion on Gun Violence in Schools is here.
The Impact
School safety experts and law enforcement oppose the idea of arming teachers. It’s a myth that highly trained teachers can respond quickly to a shooter, and guns in schools are a hazard waiting to be found by students and teachers in bathrooms or locker rooms.
No Guns in K-12 Schools
| Policy adopted? | If not, who is allowed to carry under state law? |
|---|---|
| Alabama | — |
| Alaska | — |
| Arizona | — |
| Arkansas | — |
| California | — |
| Colorado | — |
| Connecticut | — |
| Delaware | — |
| Florida | School personnel |
| Georgia | School personnel |
| Hawaii | — |
| Idaho | School employees with permission |
| Illinois | — |
| Indiana | — |
| Iowa | School employees |
| Kansas | School personnel and any other permit holders |
| Kentucky | — |
| Louisiana | — |
| Maine | — |
| Maryland | — |
| Massachusetts | — |
| Michigan | — |
| Minnesota | — |
| Mississippi | Any permit holders; School personnel |
| Missouri | School personnel |
| Montana | — |
| Nebraska | — |
| Nevada | — |
| New Hampshire | Any permit holders |
| New Jersey | — |
| New Mexico | — |
| New York | — |
| North Carolina | — |
| North Dakota | School personnel |
| Ohio | Individuals with written authorization of the board of education or governing body, including teachers |
| Oklahoma | School personnel |
| Oregon | Any permit holders |
| Pennsylvania | — |
| Rhode Island | — |
| South Carolina | — |
| South Dakota | School personnel |
| Tennessee | School personnel |
| Texas | School personnel |
| Utah | Any permit holders; teachers |
| Vermont | — |
| Virginia | — |
| Washington | — |
| West Virginia | — |
| Wisconsin | — |
| Wyoming | School personnel; Any permit holders |
Show Citations and Footnotes
Source: Ark. Code § 5-73-119; Del. Code Ann. tit. 11, §§ 1457, 1457A; Fla. Stat. 30.15(1)(k); Ga. Code Ann. §§ 16-11-127.1(c)(6), 16-11-130.1; HRS § 134-A(a)(8); Idaho Code § 18-3302D(4); Iowa Code § 724.6(1)(a)(3); Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 21-6301(a)(11), (i)(5), 75-7c(d)(1); Miss. Code Ann. §§ 97-37-7(2), 45-9-101(13), 45-9-181; Mo. Rev. Stat. § 160.665(1); N.D. Cent. Code §§ 62.1-02, 62.1-02-05; Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2923.122(D)(1)(a); Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 5-149.2; Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 1277(A)(3), (D) § 1280.1(C)(7); Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.370(3)(d); S.D. Codified Laws § 13-64-1; Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-815; Tex. Educ. Code §§ 37.0811, 37.0813; Utah Code Ann. §§ 76-10-505.5(4)(a), 53-22-105; Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-8-105(c).