Guns Should Be Banned On Campus Essay

A graduate student leaving an evening class walks along the poorly lit sidewalk to the parking lot—it is a long, cold walk in the pitch-black night, and the student grows wary as shadows begin lurking in the distance. Suddenly, someone jumps out in front of the student, immediately threatening her with force. Before the student can react, she is raped and robbed. This is a very scary scenario, and one that happens on the SCSU campus every year. It seems like every week we get an e-mail citing another attack on students somewhere on or near campus. However, all of these attacks could be prevented if we allow students to carry guns as a means of self-defense.

A major issue in the United States is gun control. Due to multiple mass shootings in schools and public areas, restrictions regarding guns have been implemented across the United States. Andrew Parks, a student at The University of Alabama, wrote an article against gun restrictions. His article, “The University should allow concealed carry,” supports the idea of college campuses like The University of Alabama, allowing students to conceal carry firearms. In an article written by Jennie Kushner, the opinions of students on the University of Alabama’s Police Department’s gun policy are presented. The safety of student body relies on the students’ feeling safe. That safety comes from less gun control laws and policies on campus. Each of the articles stated provides information against gun control in different ways.

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.

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.

Concealed weapons would not only cause a distraction from learning of college students but it will also cause a distraction moviegoers from enjoying movies or office workers from doing their job. This would also would also increase the number of suicides. Research shows that 90% of suicides are committed off campus and most college students 21 and up live off campus. 21 is the minimum age to carry a concealed handgun license in most states. Wondering whether or not the people around in class, or the professors, are secretly carrying a loaded gun is slightly undermining and could be harmful for a positive learning environment. Someone looking to attack a school or university campus is on a mission with little concern for their own outcome, so the possibility of other people being armed wouldn’t be a strong leash. Concealed guns being present in class could serve as distraction and a fear for students, overcoming the gun’s ability to possibly serve as protection in case of a threat. having a legal concealed carry is a personal decision for many people in consideration to their individual safety. This is why handguns should not be permitted on college

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.

In the United States of America, there is a rising epidemic happening and its gun violence and the violence will not only rise, but triple if guns are permitted on college campuses and inevitably cause a ripple of issues. With several campus shootings, the most fatal being in 2007, the shooting that occurred at Virginia Tech University, a number of states are pushing harder to consider legislation about whether or not to permit concealed guns on college campuses and to obliterate the existing firearm regulations. This is not Colleges and Universities purpose; they’re for learning and experiences and amongst other things, not about guns. Students and faculty should not be allowed to carry firearms onto college campuses, firearms are illegal on most campuses, and that is how it should remain. In 2015, the number of colleges and universities in the United

Michael Newbern’s overarching topic in his article is that gun should be allowed at college campuses. Students should be learning their courses without any worry of being unsafe. He stated that college campuses are known to be safer than other locations. However,

Gun ownership is an incredibly great burden and responsibility, and should not be taken lightly, since the slightest lapse in judgement or reasoning could result in a catastrophic event that brings about deadly consequences. Gun ownership is widely debated with regard to its place on the campus. Many assume that guns on campus will reduce the safety concerns of college students, leading to a greater sense of security. However, campus carrying will create a fearful and volatile environment and lead to an escalation in crime and violence, and creating a dangerous setting.

Saying that we would be safer if the common student would be allowed to carry around a gun is truly an absurd statement. With all due respect for those that mean no harm for their fellow peers, there are students that may have quite the opposite in mind. As noted in a 2007 report by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, there are three reasons why gun violence would be likely to increase if more guns were present on college campuses: the prevalence of drugs and alcohol; the risk of

The reality today is how increasingly popular it is for news media to sensationalize campus shootings providing a quick vehicle for lines to get blurred between a true mass shooting incident vs. a campus argument where someone has brought a gun and used it during an altercation with an individual or group. The latter is actually a more common occurrence than a mass shooting unfortunately both usually end with casualties and victims of violence. Imagine either scenario with a classroom full of students who may or may not be carrying a gun. Most students in the class will be under the age of twenty-five, their experience to firing a gun is usually during hunting season with a rifle not a handgun. Now they have been placed in a high risk situation with zero experience on how to handle a mass shooter or disgruntled boyfriend or student upset about their final grades. Several gun owners today have obtained their concealed handgun license. Andy Pelosi states, "Most people with concealed guns don't have tactical training, as law enforcement receives" (para. 15). This training consists of providing knowledge of the owner’s handgun and accuracy of target shooting in a very non-threatening environment. This in no way prepares anyone for a true high risk situation. Then throw in the mix multiple people with firearms in a confined space trying to determine in a split second

Gun Control is a sensitive and controversial topic internationally debated. The Second Amendment states that, “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” (2nd Amendment). With this in mind, questions and controversy arise. Everybody has their own outlook whether people should be allowed to carry personal concealed firearms in public or on school campuses. Should students be allowed to carry guns on school grounds? “A recent study found that 78% of college students oppose such legislation and 79% said they would feel less safe if faculty, students, and visitors carried concealed weapons on campus,” (The Tradeoffs of Gun Ownership, 13). In reference to that, students should not be allowed to carry firearms on campus for the reason that many people would feel unsafe.

“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.

The campus homicide rate is about 1 death per 1 million people, compared to 57 deaths per million in the general population. In the college-age population in general, moreover, homicide is the second leading cause of death, while on college campuses it remains a rare event.” So why is there a need for concealed carry on campus? College should be about teaching, learning, growing, and free thought; worrying about if the person you sit next to has a gun on them or not should not be. Students and teachers should be able to express themselves freely in classroom environments, where discussions often touch on controversial topics that arouse passion. The introduction of guns on campuses would create fear of possible

Guns in general with any human being in public place is quite dangerous especially with young anxious trying to fit in students. Unless an army officer, police officer and guards who are trained to use the weapons have it with them. Whenever we hear about the mass shooting taking place in schools, or universities personally, the simple question to ask is where the campus guards or police officer are? With the fast paced life homework, exams financial stress and also hate, depressions, loneliness on top of all these stressful things allowing students to carry gun can be fatal. Did anyone ask the professors or teachers how these students behave did they ever consider the age and their psychological well-being?