Imitation Firearms, School Discipline And Changes To Penal Code 16700
By Michelle Ball, California Education Attorney for Students since 1995 On January 1, 2016, Penal Code section 16700, regarding "imitation firearms," changed and will potentially help students facing discipline for possession of "imitation firearms." Air soft guns, BB guns and other similar devices have proven irresistible items for some students. What fun to get one of these "play" guns and go shoot some targets, right? Unfortunately, these students have ended up in the school office and usually in front of expulsion panels when possessing these devices on campus or within the zone of a school's area of control (to/from school, field trips, near school, etc.). Schools look toward many legal codes to get their guidance. Often, definitions in the Education Code are vague and other codes may need to be looked to for clarification. The California Penal Code (lists the criminal statutes applicable in California) is a frequently used reference. Per ...