Published April 07, 2009
Written By Grace Chen
How safe are you on your community college’s campus? Many students have begun to express concern regarding their safety on campus, especially during off-peak hours.
For example, to take a night course at a community college, students are typically forced to either enter or leave class after sunset. With less light visibility and decreased crowds on campus in the evening, some students feel concerned about violence.
As a result, many students assert that they must take extra measures to ensure that they are well protected. In light of this argument, some community college campuses are beginning to permit the carrying of personal handguns on campus.
The Debate over College Campus Gun Regulations
Currently, most community college campuses do not allow the possession of a concealed handgun on campus. However, according to The Facts publication, college students in the state of Texas, who are above the age of 21, are now permitted to carry a gun on college campuses!
According to reports, in light of the public school and college violence in recent years, many students feel less protected when they’re attending classes. Specifically, upon the violent attacks on the Virginia Tech campus in 2007, many students began to protest school policies to fight for their rights to carry a gun for protection. As 32 people were killed in the Virginia Tech shooting, in addition to many student injuries, many students now assert that carrying a weapon on campus helps to make each individual safer and more able to fight off a potential attacker, in the unlikely case that a threat was evident.
As one Texas college student argues, ‘There were people in Virginia Tech that had their (concealed handguns license) that were not allowed to carry them on the college campuses that could have brought the (attacker) down.”
While many students assert that the right to carry a concealed gun on campus helps to provide each student with personal protection and safety, other experts argue that this only serves to distract students from their educational focus. As The Facts further supports, community college leaders opposed to the handgun rights initiatives argue that their current campus safety measures are more than adequate to defend and protect all students. With trained officers, experts, and police staff on campus, students attending community college classes should feel safe, and they do not possess a need to carry a gun to class.
Despite this argument, however, many still assert that campus efforts are not substantial enough. While campus officials are trained to respond to all dangerous attacks or threats, the opposing leaders argue that in the case wherein police are not able to arrive upon a crime scene rapidly enough, students with their own guns would be able to defend themselves until the college protection support arrives.
The Current Handgun Regulations
Students who desire to find out more details about their college’s handgun regulations must seek out information from campus and state leaders. For example, most states currently prohibit the concealment of handguns on college campuses, even if a student has the registered and licensed rights to carry a gun.
Such is the case in Kansas, as explained by The City of Wellington’s gun regulations. In the case of Wellington and Kansas students, individuals who are above the age of 21, who do not have a specific criminal record, and who have met all other gun regulations and training procedures are permitted to conceal a weapon. However, despite this right, the Kansas laws prohibit the concealment of weapons in various state-wide locations. Specifically, Kansas residents cannot carry a handgun into court rooms, a state office building, in a public sporting event, and on a school and college campus.
Kansas, like many other states, is now being confronted with the protests of students and school leaders who believe that college students deserve the right to protect themselves in a situation of danger. Whether students are confronted with the rare case of a campus-wide attacker, or if an individual student feels threatened while attending class alone, many assert that individuals should not feel in fear or intimidated when attending college classes. As a result, new bills are constantly being proposed in order to override the state’s regulations on handgun possession laws and regulations. Undoubtedly, this debate will wager on, as both sides of the struggle strive to reach an agreement.
Resources
The Facts, “Bill Would Allow Guns on College Campuses,” available at http://thefacts.com/story.lasso?ewcd=5a1ebf465cddcd46
The City of Wellington, available at http://cityofwellington.net/carryconcealed.html
Alvin Community College, available at http://www.alvincollege.edu/home/news_continued.cfm?nid=227
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