Private Preschools And Gun Free School Zones

[Peicemaker]

Random question for those who know the laws better than I. Would a privately owned preschool invoke the gun free school zones act or some similar law? I ask because I was out randomly looking at retail rental space for a hypothetical gun shop this morning and found several open spots in a plaza in a great location but there is a preschool well within 1000 ft of all the open spots. Go? No go? Gray area?

 

[snax]

Not sure, but there is a private preschool directly across the street from Tyngsboro Sportsmans club. Not sure how that is set up. School only 2 or so years old. Grandfathered?
Does a preschool really count as a School? More of a daycare

 

[greencobra]

i've been to a gun shop in mass several times in a strip mall type building where there is a preschool/day care maybe 5-6 doors down at the end of the building. first time there i didn't see signage for the shop. not realizing it was a preschool, their door opened and a bunch of kids and 2 ladies came out so i asked where the gun shop was. one woman was horrified.."no gun shop around here." the other cheerfully said "oh, it's upstairs." both businesses were co-existing peacefully.

 

[spcantwell]

i've been to a gun shop in mass several times in a strip mall type building where there is a preschool/day care maybe 5-6 doors down at the end of the building. first time there i didn't see signage for the shop. not realizing it was a preschool, their door opened and a bunch of kids and 2 ladies came out so i asked where the gun shop was. one woman was horrified.."no gun shop around here." the other cheerfully said "oh, it's upstairs." both businesses were co-existing peacefully.

Still doesnt beat the entire new Bedford police substation not knowing about a gun shop 4 doors down... except for the one "gun guy" in the way back who knew about it but never saw it...

 

[Len-2A Training]

As for the law about guns on school property, it does not matter if it is a private or public school.

Only the OP's location gives a clue that he's asking about Mass laws, as it is posted in General not in the Mass Laws sub-forum.

If you read MGL the definition of a school (in MA, Fed definition is different of course) includes only elementary, secondary and college level schools. Anything co-located there (e.g. pre-school, kindergarten, etc.) would be off-limits.

So pre-schools are not off-limits per MGL.

On the other hand when you go to get a Mass Dealer's License anywhere near a school, pre-school, church, etc. beyond the law, you are at the whim of your local police chief and town fathers/mothers (selectmen, town council, planning board, zoning board, etc.) and if they don't like it you will have a very long and expensive battle on your hands.

 

[Peicemaker]

As for the law about guns on school property, it does not matter if it is a private or public school.

Only the OP's location gives a clue that he's asking about Mass laws, as it is posted in General not in the Mass Laws sub-forum.

If you read MGL the definition of a school (in MA, Fed definition is different of course) includes only elementary, secondary and college level schools. Anything co-located there (e.g. pre-school, kindergarten, etc.) would be off-limits.

So pre-schools are not off-limits per MGL.

On the other hand when you go to get a Mass Dealer's License anywhere near a school, pre-school, church, etc. beyond the law, you are at the whim of your local police chief and town fathers/mothers (selectmen, town council, planning board, zoning board, etc.) and if they don't like it you will have a very long and expensive battle on your hands.

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.

 

[Dennis in MA]

As long as you aren't walking through the pre-school to get to the counter at the gun shop.

I was in leadership at a local pvt. school. Carrying was a fringe benefit.