CHARLESTON, W.Va.
West Virginia legislators have given the Parkersburg South High School mascot hope of a reprieve from a ban on guns on school property.



The Senate Education committee advanced a bill Thursday to exempt the school's Patriot mascot from the gun restrictions. The changes would mirror an exemption already provided for West Virginia University's Mountaineer mascot.

Principal Tom Eschbacher brought the school's musket with him to the Capitol and told lawmakers that students wanted to be able to fire the weapon at away games.

Parkersburg South mascots have fired the gun at home games since 1967 and Eschbacher called it a proud community tradition. He promised lawmakers that only the mascot handles the gun and that students are properly trained to load and fire the musket.

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