Should Concealed Weapons Be Allowed In Colleges?

Due to the recent upheaval of violent crimes on campus, many pro-gun activist have suggested that both the students and teachers should be allowed to carry concealed weapons on campus. Those for this may claim that their rights have been violated because many college campuses refuse to allow weapons of any kind on campus. It is not the right to carry a gun which is in debate here, but rather it is whether or not guns should be allowed on a college campus. The Constitution of The United States of America already grants citizens the right to carry guns, and being in the south, I am by far no stranger to seeing a gun from time-to-time, but it is not appropriate for guns to be in a vulnerable area such as a college campus. There are already too many guns available to the public, and allowing them on an educational facility would greatly increase the likelihood of injury or death. Americans, as previously mentioned, have the right to bear arms, and this should be held sacred, and not infringed, taken away, or limited. However, stricter firearm control should be implemented for those who chose to carry a concealed weapon, and gun control should be done by having stricter certification processes before a firearm or gun permit is issued, intensive psychological evaluation for the person or persons applying for a gun permit or a gun,and greater educational requirements for gun owners and firearm safety.

They defend this view by saying that,”…people are safer when they have guns to protect themselves; and that an armed bystander could put a stop to a mass shooting in progress” (Skorton and Altschuler 629). Timothy Wheeler makes another point by stating that gun free zones are easy targets for danger and that school killers have taken advantage of effective security (655). He enforces the idea of allowing guns on college grounds by affirming that at “…the Appalachian School of Law in 2002 [a] homicidal Virginia student was stopped from shooting more of his classmates when another student held him at gunpoint” (Wheeler 656). Skorton and Altschuler claim that “colleges and universities are far safer than most public places in the United States” (629). Although that is true, permitting guns on site would counteract that view in and out of the classroom. If firearms were to be allowed on college grounds would campuses still be considered secure locations, would students be able to speak freely on controversial topics, would they really be able to stop attackers if anything was to ever

Concealed carry and college campuses are two major topics currently in the media, yet these two topics are rarely used in unison, until now. The topic of whether or not concealed carry should be allowed on college campuses is a now mainstream debate with multiple views and numerous differentiating opinions. Many of the general public question if campus police is capable enough to protect a university’s enormous student body? Another commonly discussed issue is if concealed handguns actually do deter crime, and if they are capable of aiding in stopping a mass shooting spree? Or if guns on campus, carried by fellow classmates would make students as a whole feel more cautious or on the opposing hand make students feel more secure with guns carried on campus? If guns are allowed on campus, how will this affect a growing student’s ideology? These questions and many more are highly spoken of in our social media based generation, the answers to these questions help to improve our knowledge on this debate of concealed carry on college campuses, which will lead us to form our own individual opinions on this debate topic based on the facts and evidence presented.

In 2007, 32 students and teachers die after being held at gunpoint on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University by a student, Seung Hui Cho, who attended the school later on dies from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In all 27 students and 5 faculty members died. I really think that guns shouldn't be allowed on college campuses at all because it will cause a distraction from the learning environment, would lead to an increased number of suicides by college students, a gun might go off by accident, most college students are too young to carry a concealed handgun license, and school shootings don't happen that often and college campuses are very safe so, therefore, there is no need to carry a concealed weapon on a campus.

According to the NCSL, National Conference of State Legislatures “Over the last five years, campus safety legislation has been a hot issue across the country”. Authors like Jazz Silva are standing up for student’s rights that some State Legislatures might not care about. Not only are weapons dangerous but it is unsafe to students who may struggle with mental health issues. College campuses are safer than the communities that surround them. The University of Louisiana system states “93% of the violence against students occurs off campus.” Allowing guns on campus would lead to an escalation in violence, can lead to an increased number of suicides by college students, and the possibility that a weapon can go off by accident.

It seems that tragedy and violence across America are becoming all too common in our daily news. Even more tragic is when it is at a school. With the increase in violence across America, it is opening the door to the question of should college campuses allow concealed guns on campus? Allowing concealed guns on campuses is something that may come true at public colleges across Georgia. Recently, the Georgia senate passed a bill by 37-17 that would allow gun owners 21 and over to carry concealed weapons on public college campuses. If Governor Nathan Deal approves the bill it will go into effect (The Associated Press). While some feel this could potentially open the door to more violence, others believe this will give them the ability to protect themselves should the need arise.

Gun laws have been debated for years now in America, and they have been debtated for various reasons. Recently, the idea of conceal and carry has been brought over to college campuses and schools around our nation. There are two main sides to this controversial topic, people who are for conceal and carry and people who are against it. There have been multiple bills proposed in florida to allow everyday people carry guns on campus. This topic has been a hot debate after incidents like the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting and even more recently the Ohio State shooting. Although the “Right to Bear Arms” is an amendment, conceal and carry should not be allowed onto college campuses and schools due to its potential consequences.

The idea of Concealed Carry arms at universities is a controversial topic for both students and faculty on whether guns should be allowed or banned on campuses throughout the United States. The idea of Concealed Carry Arms is a controversial topic because it represents both protection and fear as no one knows who has a weapon, whether they have it legally or even if they know how to use it properly and safely. Also, nobody knows of someone else’s intentions with Concealed Carry Arms as they could use that gun for protection or murder. The idea of allowing Concealed Carry Arms on campus is a controversial topic that could affect universities and campuses in the United States.

Firearms are a very profound subject to speak about due to violence and other issues behind them. College students are already aroused and stressed to do extraordinary in their courses. Would consenting untrained students to carry concealed weapons around campus be such an enticing idea, when at any moment someone could lose their mind and go on a shooting rage? One may never know what kind of background that specific being that carries a concealed firearm has. In reality no one knows what kind of effect this would have towards universities or college campuses, but it could result in a students’ academic performance. Weapons on university campuses would create a vast interference towards the education of college students; an individual might never know who is carrying a concealed weapon or what that person might organize to do. Students would be alarmed to speak up in class or anywhere around the campus for that matter. Concealed Weapon Carry should not be allowed in universities because students are immature, it would be a risky environment, and permit holders are not always lawful citizens.

The decision for college and university campuses to allow their students to carry concealed weapons on campus is a risky debate that one should disagree with. A numerous amount of unfortunate events that have a chance of happening would result as a train thought if the decision was made. Various public schools below college level have been publicized throughout the years to have been involved with shootings, threats, or suicide with arms that were sneaked onto campus discretely, or exposed through a rageful manner fired at random innocent individuals. College level, there is already a majority of students that are above the age of eighteen or twenty-one, both ages having the legal privilege to purchase a weapon. This would increase a caution

Every day parents send their children off to school with the expectation that they will be returned home safely at the end of the day. However, with an ever increasing number of school shootings some parents are pulling their children out of school because they feel as if school can no longer offer the same sense of security as they once had. Some schools are pressing for the right for school instructors to carry a loaded weapon on campus. School instructors should be allowed to carry a loaded weapon on campus because it helps prevent school shootings, it protects them during school shootings, and gives students and staff an added sense of security.

Although eight states have passed provisions allowing concealed weapons on public campuses and several other states allow campuses to decide if they are allowed, instead colleges should take a holistic view and approach to provide a robust security program, safety training, communication network and guidance on behavior awareness for faculty and students. As States continue to pass campus carry laws the colleges continue to funnel the majority of their focus dedicated to passing the law. This has eroded and overshadowed the end result, which is to protect students and faculty. Campuses should not allow students to carry guns on campus. By providing this false sense of security it dilutes the opportunity to implement tools, train and provide strategies to improve campus safety.

The US constitution states it is the citizen’s right to bear arms. (US Constitution art II) The right to bear arms is a right, although not necessarily required in today’s world. What is the purpose for having firearms on a college campus across the US? College campuses should be considered a safe haven to further education, expand our thoughts, ideas and maintain enlightened citizenry. Fostering a place of self-growth and improvement is critical to nourishing the U.S. democratic ideals.  You can’t be comfortable in any learning environment if you are thinking about guns and their presence. Guns could be use as intimidation if they are carried openly in a classroom. I feel the restrictions on gun ownership are not severe enough when it comes to owning and possessing a gun. So let’s tighten them up and keep guns off our campuses.

The right to bear arms is a liberty given to us in the United States written in the Second Amendment. However, that should not apply to college campuses across the nation. Giving anyone the accessibility to take a fire arm without any penalty could possibly make it easier to plot a scheme that would inflict harm to students. The vast majority would agree, it is difficult to talk about guns on campuses, since it associates with previous shootings that have taken placed in recent memory. Understandably, for many people to witness these tragedies have severely crippled them emotionally, physiologically, even physically. Even if the person carrying such a weapon with the true intention in defending, should not be accountable in defending themselves from outside influences. The law enforcement is well equipped to handle matters like these. We can never foresee or intervene a crime that will occur in the future, but we can prevent it. One way we can get closer

“Colleges and universities occupy a special place in American society. They are much more than a series of buildings and collection of individuals. Instead, they are dynamic living and learning environments where individuals with varying levels of maturity interact, often under stressful circumstances. While recognizing the right of responsible individuals to possess firearms under other circumstances, the unique characteristics of a university campus make the presence of firearms problematic. The shootings that have occurred in recent years at US colleges and universities have generated passionate debate about how best to prevent such violence and whether persons should be allowed to carry concealed guns on campuses. Experts believe there is no credible evidence that students or staff carrying guns would reduce crime. In fact, research has shown that the brains of most college students have not fully developed regarding impulse control and judgment” (Dickerson). Therefore, guns should not be allowed on college campuses because it would lead to an escalation in violent crime, distract from the learning environment, and lead to accidental discharge incidents.