BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The vice principal arrested for bringing a handgun on the Tevis Junior High campus Aug. 28 has filed a claim against the city and Bakersfield Police Department.
The claim is the first step in filing a lawsuit. Kent Williams, vice principal of Tevis Junior High, said that he feels his second amendment rights were violated, and he was falsely arrested when Bakersfield police arrived on the campus.
Police had received a tip that there was a gun on campus from a school employee. They found it in a backpack in Williams’ office.
Williams said he brought the gun for the protection of himself and his students.
“I read the paper. I watched the news,” Williams said. “I see all the incidents taking place across the country, and I figured I would go about it the proper way: get trained and get a license, and that’s what I did.”
He would not specify how long he had been bringing the weapon on campus.
Williams has worked as an educator for 27 years. He is currently on paid administrative leave with the Panama Buena Vista Union School District.
His attorney, Daniel Rodriguez, said Williams notified the campus supervisor that he brought the weapon. Rodriguez said the retired police officer also brought a gun to school.
Rodriguez said that Williams’ concealed carry permit allows him to carry the gun. The officers who arrested Williams were confused about the law, consulted a supervisor, and arrested him anyway, according to Rodriguez.
BPD spokesman Joe Grubbs said that neither the department, nor the city, had seen the claim. Even if they had, they could not comment on legal matters, he said.
PBVUSD has not yet commented to KGET about the claim, but in a prior interview, the assistant superintendent of educational services said that in the past seven years, only one person has asked for permission to carry a gun on campus.
That request was denied, the assistant superintendent said.
The claim is the first step in filing a lawsuit. Kent Williams, vice principal of Tevis Junior High, said that he feels his second amendment rights were violated, and he was falsely arrested when Bakersfield police arrived on the campus.
Police had received a tip that there was a gun on campus from a school employee. They found it in a backpack in Williams’ office.
Williams said he brought the gun for the protection of himself and his students.
“I read the paper. I watched the news,” Williams said. “I see all the incidents taking place across the country, and I figured I would go about it the proper way: get trained and get a license, and that’s what I did.”
He would not specify how long he had been bringing the weapon on campus.
Williams has worked as an educator for 27 years. He is currently on paid administrative leave with the Panama Buena Vista Union School District.
His attorney, Daniel Rodriguez, said Williams notified the campus supervisor that he brought the weapon. Rodriguez said the retired police officer also brought a gun to school.
Rodriguez said that Williams’ concealed carry permit allows him to carry the gun. The officers who arrested Williams were confused about the law, consulted a supervisor, and arrested him anyway, according to Rodriguez.
BPD spokesman Joe Grubbs said that neither the department, nor the city, had seen the claim. Even if they had, they could not comment on legal matters, he said.
PBVUSD has not yet commented to KGET about the claim, but in a prior interview, the assistant superintendent of educational services said that in the past seven years, only one person has asked for permission to carry a gun on campus.
That request was denied, the assistant superintendent said.