Did I commit a Class D Felony - or not?

[melensdad]

OK, no surprise, I have a handgun carry permit. Indiana law allows me to carry a gun onto school property IF I AM DROPPING OFF or PICKING UP my child. The deal is that I must keep the gun in my possession and I must NOT leave the car. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE LAW results in me committing a Class D Felony, there is no minor charge to plea bargain down to for extenuating circumstance, etc.

So if it is raining and I have an umbrella in my car, but I'm parked 200' from the door because the designated 'drop off/pick up point' is not in front of the door, my daughter has to run in the rain to the entrance.

Or if she has a major project to carry in with her, something like a science fair project, then she cannot get any help from me because I'm stuck in the car.

Today my daughter is home sick. I had to drop off a school assignment that she completed so that meant I had to go into the school. Well the law says I can't drive onto the property with a gun because my daughter is not with me. So I parked on the public street, at least I think I did. I slipped the gun out of my Milt Sparks OWB slide and stowed it under the front carpet. Walked across the street where the school secretary met me (she was outside raising the on the flagpole with a group of kids) and then I returned to the car. The problem is that the school is a church affiliated school, the church/school own property on both sides of the street. So depending on exactly where I parked, and how far off the edge of the road I parked, someone could argue that I was parked on school property. I made a deliberate attempt to park as much on the public roadway as possible to avoid that argument.

What drives me nuts is not that I can't carry a gun into school. I have no real problem with that, but that as a licensed carry holder, why can't I at least be allowed to lock the gun in the car to help my kid into/out of the school, or when I drop off or pick up homework?

I don't know the laws in other states, but this is one area where Indiana law regarding carry is wrong and needs to be changed!

I don't believe I broke the law today, but again, I'm not a judge so I don't know how he interprets the issue of parking on public streets/private property??? I believe I was legally parked on the public roadway, how do I know for sure for next time?