School Shootings Are Becoming More Common

Any school setting is supposed to be a peaceful learning environment. Nothing about guns symbolizes peace. Guns will increase the tension all over campus and students nor faculty should have to fear for their safety. For one professor, the campus carry law was too much of a risk. Daniel Hamermesh is a UT professor who teaches economics to a class of nearly 500 students has stated that he won’t be teaching at UT next year. Hamermesh claims that he has had many confrontations with furious students about grades and that a furious student with a weapon is a risk that he doesn’t want to

Allowing guns on campuses has to be one of the most absurd solutions conceived to regulate safety. Firearms have no place in the hands of staff and students on campus. The idea is totally blown out of proportion because many universities actually considering concealed carry believe the impact will be less crime and more safety, but what exactly does it mean to allow a weapon on college property? People that are for campus carry argue that those with a firearm will be able to defend themselves against any incident that is bound to happen, but what happens when they pull out a gun? How will students, staff, or law enforcement react? Guns on campuses are not a good idea due to the fact students aren't fully mature enough to carry a weapon, they will become inhibited in

If college campuses legalize the right to obtain a concealed weapon there could a risk of escalation in violence on college campuses. Allowing college students to carry a concealed weapon on campus makes for many opportunities of potential misuse of the weapon. According to the Journal of American College Health, most college students don't have experience shooting or holding a gun, therefore, they could make a mistake and unintentionally harm somebody or even themselves. Granting college students access to guns will pose increased risks of incidents of self-injury, accidental shootings and even murders. The University of Louisiana system shows that evidence also indicates that the presence of concealed weapons on campus would increase the likelihood of

More guns on campus would create little if any additional risk for students: The SCCC counter acts the four risky points that SGFS brought up among college students: (1) The prevalence of drugs and alcohol; (2) The risk of suicide and mental health issues; (3) the likelihood of gun thefts, and (4) An increased risk of accidental shooting. The SCCC states that the SGFS failed to mention the no reports of any kind of incidents related to those four high risk issue over the 100 semesters of the allowance of the concealed weapon on campuses. Furthermore, students who are listed under these four concerns issue are those under age of 21, whereas, concealed carriers are only allowed for those 21 or over. Therefore, their point of putting students through greater risks is

One important group in the controversy over campus carry rights are gun rights activists. Because these people believe guns should be allowed on campus, they tend to say that these beliefs promote safety on campus. Furthermore, because they care about college students, the. Jason Russell graduated from the University of Rochester and is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner. His point of view on this controversy is that he wants everyone to carry guns for protection on campus. He recently argued that campus carry should be universally legalized in his article, “Should Guns Be Allowed on College Campuses?”, the principal claim is, “taking away guns... won 't rid the world of criminality.” He supports this argument with one main reason: the fact that concealed carry would have helped victims in many situations. For instance, when saying that concealed carry can protect students, he writes about a victim of rape who said “all I wanted was a chance to effectively defend myself.” And when

One of the largest barriers for firearm carriers is the fear of them causing panic; this panic is caused by other civilians being afraid if they see that they are carrying and mistake them for an armed assailant. Awareness to all students and faculty that campus carry is in place will keep this from happening and will allow more firearms advocates to be willing to carry. People who already legally conceal carry would not be afraid to continue that practice if there are no laws stopping them. One example of a regular carrier being a victim due to them following the law of no campus carry is Amanda Collins. Amanda, a student of the University of Nevada, was raped on campus and could do little since she was not carrying like she usually does(Summers). This incident and others could easily be stopped if campus carry were in place and known to all whom it might affect. Awareness to the general public that concealed carry is allowed would also have a high chance of deterring crime. The truth is that signs that say “no guns allowed” is not going to stop a criminal since with their nature they break the law(Burnett). States that implement concealed carry laws have reduced several different crimes by up to 8.5 percent(ProCon). Criminals want easy targets and knowing that the person they choose to attack may be able to defend themselves with an easy means of defense such as a gun that deters them from those areas. All of these points lead to the end goal of students and faculty feeling safer and it is a fact that up to 59 percent of people who carry a gun because it makes them feel safer(ProCon). The feeling of safety not only occurs for those who carry but those who know that anyone could be there with a gun to assist or save them should the occasion occur. Colleges are dangerous places with no

Allowing concealed weapons on campus can also prevent casualties and injuries in the event of a mass public shooting. According to Smith “Between 1977 and 1995, the average death rate from mass shootings plummeted by up to 91% after such laws [right-to-carry concealed handgun laws] went into effect, and injuries dropped by over 80%.”

The laws on concealed carry hand-guns have become stricter over the past couple of years. When it comes to concealed weapons on college campus, everybody there will have a different opinion. The students, faculties, and staff’s opinions will differ because of how they were raised, or even where they grew up. Some people want to have a concealed hand gun on a college campus because it is their right and for protection, but putting other lives in danger is a greater risk.

In fact, allowing concealed handguns increases crime, guns on campus will cause students to be unaware of their surroundings. In “Concealed Carry Laws Proliferate on Campus” Tim Goral claims, “More weapons on campus may result in more frequent emergency alerts and possible lockdowns, which will disrupt our academic mission and will adversely impact student success” (19).  Authorizing concealed guns on campus would add disruptions during class time which will cause students to have nerves in class and not focus at their full potential. In “Student Perceptions and Practices Regarding Carrying Handguns on University Campuses” Amy Thompson claims, “Researchers have also shown that where there are more guns present, there are more accidental gun deaths. Additionally, for every fatal accidental shooting, there are more that 10 people seriously injured to the extent that they needed to be treated in a hospital”(252). Not all students are fully developed enough to comprehend every situation they’re in, some may know to do or say, others might not and allowing students to bring their concealed guns can cause a immature situation into a lifetime in jail. Weapons on campus tend to cause commotion and fear, students can feel uncomfortable and be more likely stressed if they knew that anyone in their class can walk in with a concealed handgun and be used at any moment if that person is triggered (Goral 19). Classrooms should feel safe not uncomfortable. Schools are safe zones. Why add a rifle that can higher chances of crime?

Someone watching to attack a college campus students or university campus is on an assignment with slight concern for their own outcome, so the possibility of other individuals having gun wouldn’t be a strong deterrent. So in this manner, permitting guns on college campuses were students should studying could serve as distraction and as well as imposes fear on both students, teachers and even non- academic staffs outweighing the gun’s ability to possibly serve as protection in case of a threat. Guns should remain off campus in the best interest of student and staff safety, education and

Conflicts between students do occur, and in one of those an irrational action can be taken resulting in using a gun. Even with rules, there are people who are not mentally prepared for the rules; “We’ve already seen so many instances where people get hurt because there are guns in schools” (Fernandez 4) Even though there are regulations such as only licensed people are eligible to carry a concealed gun, there isn’t anything that has been stated that there will be checks if that is their gun. There are 50 percent of people who support having guns on campus that will obtain one by someone who is eligible, and take it to campus without being checked if it’s their gun. Someone who isn’t mentally stable is able to obtain a concealed gun without having to purchase one, or was unstable after they bought a gun and can just snap; “The 25 year-old architectural engineering major and ex-Marine–who had previously complained of searing headaches and depression” (The UT Tower Shooting 1). Charles Whitman was mentally unstable that led him to commit the fatal action. To avoid an experience like this there should not be concealed guns on campus. Although there have been past experience of a student bringing a gun, there are other alternatives such as metal detectors or more security. A gun is thought to be used in self defense, but college is the moment of stress and anxiety among 18 to 25 year-olds in which they still make irrational actions; “Opponents say the notion that armed students would make a campus safer is an illusion” (Fernandez 1). Students stress out over exams which will cause them to do extreme actions, such as using their gun in a class discussion. Guns will not make the campus safer it will just increase the risk of a shooting to

Though I have taken a sarcastic tone to express my concern of allowing students to carry weapons on campus, do not take this situation lightly. College age students are generally associated with those who experiment with drugs and alcohol as they are exposed to first time freedoms and peer pressure. The bottom lines is that allowing students to carry firearms may encourage violence. Already distressed young adults are under high amounts of stress from exams and meeting graduation deadlines. The daily exposure to television programs, movies, and video games saturate the minds of student with violence and death until it appears normal. One cannot assume that all students can safely carry a firearm. Before guns are allowed on campuses, permits

When people think of guns on a college campus they immediately think of tragic school shootings. There has been 23 college campus shootings in 2015 alone. Unfortunately, the gun is always looked at as the problem instead of the person behind the gun. Hence the reason why guns are banned on college campuses. A lot of people believe that by allowing firearms on college campuses, then it will make it a less safe learning environment. Others believe that crime rates will decrease as a result of letting students carry personal firearms on campus. While many Americans think that allowing guns on college campuses is a bad idea, I believe that guns should be permitted on college campuses to help prevent crime and keep students safe.

As of today there are only five states in the United States of America that allow guns on a college campus (Armed Campus). Texas, Tennessee, Idaho, Utah, and Colorado, are the states included in this fact. If people would allow guns on a college campus, there would be less violence. Campuses are targets for violence since students cannot carry a gun to scare off a shooter, and it is also Americans’ second Amendment right to carry a gun. College campuses should allow the students with a CHL, or concealed handgun license, to carry guns on campus because it will make the student feel safer.

In the recent campus attack at Ohio State University on Monday, November 28th, the killer was able to attack eleven people, however if concealed carry was allowed to the students at Ohio State, it is all possible that the attacker could have been stopped before hurting anybody (Grinberg, para. 2). Campus shootings are becoming increasingly more common and more violent in the recent years. In response to these campus attacks, an increasing portion of the American population are beginning to support the Campus Carry Act, so that more responsible people have access to firearms to save innocent civilians in the case of another campus shooting. Campus Carry should be enacted because permit holders are statistically proven to be the most law abiding demographic in America, surpassing even the police. Concealed handguns do in fact deter crime from happening because the more people that have concealed weapons, the less likely it is that someone will attack there. Responsible citizens that have abided by the law their entire lives, should have the right to arm themselves in case they are put in danger.