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Associated Press and MPR News Staff

Big Lake OKs yearbook photo of trapshooting team with guns

Big Lake High School's trapshooting team
A yearbook photo taken of Big Lake High School trapshooting team. The photo had been rejected by the school because the students are holding guns. The district shifted its position Thursday afternoon.
Courtesy of Chris Lommel Photography

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Updated 2:56 p.m. | Posted 6:52 a.m.

The Big Lake High School trapshooting team will get its picture in the school yearbook with guns, after all.

Team members had been told the yearbook photo would not be included because of the school's policy against against showing firearms in photos. Some parents were concerned enough they were considering raising the issue during a school board meeting Thursday.

On Thursday afternoon, however, the Big Lake school district said it agreed to modify its no-guns-in-pictures policy to make an exception for the trapshooting team.

"Once the procedure for modifying a handbook policy was followed, the district was able to amend the policy," officials said in a statement.

"It is important to remember that a school district has rules and procedures that need to be followed," the district said. "The intense conversation around this topic on social media and the phone calls and emails we received, only delayed the process."

Team members, coaches and parents say the guns should be viewed as a piece of equipment used in the sport, much like a baseball player holding a bat in a photo. Before the district shifted it position, parent Rick Anderson told WCCO-TV "political correctness has gone way overboard."

The athletic director had offered to have a team picture taken for the yearbook, but without the guns.