Knives

Students are not allowed to bring knives on campus, although some classes, like those in culinary arts and engineering, involve students using knives.

Gunn and PAUSD rules

According to the Gunn student handbook,

• "Brandishing a knife at another person. {'Knife' means any dirk, dagger, or other weapon with a fixed, sharpened blade fitted primarily for stabbing, a weapon with a blade fitted primarily for stabbing, a weapon with a blade longer than 3-1/2 inches, a folding knife with a blade that locks into place, or a razor with an unguarded blade.}" will result in a suspension or expulsion
• "Possession of any knife or other dangerous objects of no reasonable use to the pupil" will result in suspension
• It also clarifies that other "dangerous/inappropriate objects" like "Firearms, knives, explosives, lighters, matches, fireworks, sharp objects such as a straight edge or box cutter, BB, Pellet or look-alike guns, paintball guns or any other dangerous objects may not be brought onto campus... Other objects that are not directly related to a classroom project or assignment and approved by a staff member are not permitted on campus. This may include, but is not limited to: sharp objects, laser pointers, noise makers, water balloons, squirt guns, paintballs, eggs, pepper spray, poppers, firecrackers, spray cans of any type, etc." are banned."
  • This is a long list, but take note that straightedges are technically banned.

In accordance with the California Education Code, PAUSD policies ban weapons of any sort.

California rules

California's Education Code bans all "injurious objects" from schools, which include BB guns, firearms, various other weapons defined here, machine guns, switchblades, and tear gas. It also imposes a blanket ban on any "objects capable of inflicting substantial bodily damage, not necessary for the academic purpose of the pupil."

In practice

School administrators have clarified that pocket-knives are definitely not allowed at school; this seems to fit the California definition of an object capable of being very dangerous, which is not associated with academics. Straightedges, scissors, etc. are probably not included in this definition, and it is unlikely that an administrator would suspend a student for possessing a butter-knife -- though they may confiscate it since it is technically a "knife".