Question on permission for an old school house

redgeek

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Joined
May 27, 2020
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Location
Rogersville, Tennessee
Hey everyone,
As I'm waiting for the arrival for my first detector (I settled on the Teknetics Delta 4000), I've been daydreaming about different places I can start hunting. I just remembered there is an abandoned single room school house up the road from my Aunt's place. We visit pretty regularly, so I just looked up the ownership information for that property and it is still owned by the county Board of Education. I haven't been there in a bit so I have no clue if there are any "No Trespassing" signs or not, but the building itself is pretty run down and there's no power or anything (It's in a VERY remote area).

Considering it's owned by the BoE, is there a normal procedure for requesting permission? What's the likelihood of actually getting permission? In these situations, do you try and get it in writing, or is verbal enough if you talk to the right official? Any other tips?

Much appreciated.
 
The BOE would be under the county wouldn’t it? I’d think it would be open to metal detect unless there are signs up or rules about it posted somewhere. Maybe somebody else will chime in.
 
Yep ! I’d go for it. I finally got the nerve to hunt an old school. The guy next door comes out and tells me there’s always someone or other hunting that school !
 
The BOE would be under the county wouldn’t it? I’d think it would be open to metal detect unless there are signs up or rules about it posted somewhere. ....


^^ this ^^

Because think of it : The BOE also owns functional operational schools. And you can hunt them (so long as you're not being an eyesore nuisance) without permission. So why would an abandoned one be any different ?

Or put another way: I consider public schools to be "public". Thus ... what's the problem ?

And sure, since our hobby carries connotations, then sure, just like parks, we practice discretion. But beyond that, no, I don't consider that I need to grovel for permission, as if my hobby is somehow evil and needs princely sanction from anyone.
 
I know how you feel though. I used to want to head for my vehicle when a car drove by when hunting a park. As I get more experience I realize folks mostly leave you alone. One the other day wanted to know if I had found anything and I was glad to visit with her.


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I know how you feel though. I used to want to head for my vehicle when a car drove by when hunting a park. As I get more experience I realize folks mostly leave you alone. One the other day wanted to know if I had found anything and I was glad to visit with her. ...

Good point. I don't know why there is some sort of an implication that any passer by CARES LESS. It's as if we md'rs think "everyone will hate me for md'ing" and therefore "I need to grovel for everyone's say-so". Why do we think that way ?

Instead, it's exactly as you say : The average passerby could CARE LESS. In fact , even whenever someone does come up to talk to me, it's usually "what's the best thing you've ever found?" and "how deep does it go ?", "where can I buy one of those ?". :roll:

So .... c'mon guys, just go detecting and "act like you own the place" :cool3:
 
Thanks for all the great input. I didn't realize you didn't need permission to MD on school property! Guess I just figured you needed to ask permission everywhere.
 
.... Guess I just figured you needed to ask permission everywhere.


Would you need to get permission to fly frisbees ? You might poke someone's eye out after all. No, because frisbee flying is seen as innocuous and harmless. Well so too do I consider md'ing to be equally as harmless and innocuous.

I'll cover my holes and leave no trace, then PRESTO : Innocuous. If someone else thinks otherwise, then I'll avoid that singular individual. Presto, problem solved. It's not my job to please every last person on earth.
 
In a lot of counties the board of education is separate from county government otherwise. They have they're own budget and employees. They typically do not answer so much directly to county commissioners/executive but to state board of education. The school properties are owned the county but managed by BOE. Most BOE's don't care so much about MD as long as you stay out of the active athletic fields. Just my experience.
 
In a lot of counties the board of education is separate from county government otherwise. They have they're own budget and employees. They typically do not answer so much directly to county commissioners/executive but to state board of education. The school properties are owned the county but managed by BOE. Most BOE's don't care so much about MD as long as you stay out of the active athletic fields. Just my experience.


kweis, whenever this discussion of schools + md'ing comes up (in light of the age-old "do we need permission" discussion) : Then what you are saying frequently comes up . Someone , like you just did, will bring up a "board" or "B.O.E." or "B.O.D." who "owns" it .

But the property was still paid for by tax-payer dollars. And at NO POINT is anyone calling it a "private school". We all still refer to it as a "public school". And to the extent that, yes, perhaps that BOE can say they "own" it, it's a game of having purchased it for $1 from the city, as a real-estate shell game move. The land was still purchased with our tax-payer dollars, and the parents who send their kids there would tell you that their child is going to a "public school" . Eg.: not a private school like you'd think of if we were talking parochial school, etc...

So for example: In my city we have a giant rodeo grounds grandstands arena. The average person in town would consider this "public". It's attached next to a park, soccer fields, holds public events, etc.... Yet it's leased, by the city, for $1 per year, to a BOD that runs (or "owns"?) the place. So it could be legally said to be "owned by that BOD". Yet on the other hand, no one would say it's not public.

A very interesting legal topic. The bottom line is, that ANY GOVERNING BODY of powers-that-be can say "Scram". Whether that's a BOE member or the janitor of a school that has-no-such BOE structure. I don't disagree that they all have the right to say "scram". The same could be said about the beach, or a park, etc.... But on the other hand, no, I don't think that means we all need to grovel.

My rule of thumb is: If it appears to be a non-issue to fly frisbees, jog the track, or shoot hoops (ie.: no one would bat an eye, or consider it "trespassing"), then so too will I lump my hobby in the same innocuous harmless category.
 
Thanks for all the great input. I didn't realize you didn't need permission to MD on school property! Guess I just figured you needed to ask permission everywhere.

Your mileage will vary, even from school to school or day to day in the same district. Mostly it comes down to whether you cross paths with one of the few individuals who already have a negative opinion about it. (I don't blame them if they've had to deal with idiots leaving holes or see somebody using a shovel like they're trying to dig to China instead of retrieving a four inch deep quarter.)

As a result, most people feel like schools are a "you can unless you can't" situation rather than a "you can't unless you can".

I'd stay far away from any old school house being treated as a landmark or museum, but that doesn't sound like your situation.
 
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..... Mostly it comes down to whether you cross paths with one of the few individuals who already have a native opinion about it. ....

Correct. But this goes for EVERYWHERE. Not just schools. We are in a hobby that has ... uh .... "connotations". So we're never immune to someone who might gripe. Even on the beach, parks, forest, etc.... I even had a lady on the beach once tell me that my detector was bothering her dog ! (I think she thought it emitted some sort of frequency or pitch that only dogs heard ?).

But the mere fact that someone on earth "might not like it" doesn't mean I'm going to run around seeking to get red carpets rolled out for myself.

I'm the first to admit that the sight of a man with a detector on nice manicured turf "carries connotations". But going ahead of time to seek permission doesn't solve that. In fact, it only makes it worse. Because THEN you risk bumping into the "No one cared till you asked" routine :roll:

So instead, my solution to those occasional busy-bodies who *might gripe*, is to pick lower traffic times and avoid such killjoys. Some people might call that "sneaking around". Ok, fine then : SNEAK AROUND ! Like nose-picking: It's not illegal, but sheesk, we ALL choose discreet timing so as not to offend the squeamish. :roll:
 
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