Concealed Carry on College Campuses
Rich 1
Charlton Rich
Professor Snellgrove
English 100
27 April 2012
Final Exam Essay
Concealed Carry for Students and Teachers?
Allowing students to carry concealed weapons has become a hot topic over the last several years. Violence on college campuses has been around as long as colleges have, but it took the massacre at Virginia Tech to open people’s eyes to try to fix the problem. Violence may never be eliminated on campuses, but believing that it can be reduced by allowing teachers and students to carry concealed weapons is not the answer. There is a chance that allowing them to carry concealed weapons on college campuses will increase the violence. It would make it a lot tougher for campus law enforcement to do their job effectively. Teachers and students should not be allowed to carry concealed weapons on college campuses because it will create a more chaotic environment, they are not adequately trained to use them, and it takes the focus off of education. Allowing teachers and students to carry concealed weapons will not make college campus safer. It will make them more chaotic during a crisis because instead of one person carrying a gun you will have several. Some questions that need to be considered are: How would a 19 year old college student react with an active shooter? Would they be able to handle the threat? How many more people would get hurt because you have people shooting from all different directions? As result of this, there would be mass confusion on campus, and
Rich 2 responding law enforcement would then have more than one threat to deal with. According to Thompson et al., “Research has found that higher rates of firearm possession and ownership are associated with more acts of violence and higher rates of homicide and suicide” (248). Possessing firearms is a right to Americans under the second amendment and should not be infringed, but allowing maturing adults to carry them on a college campus is absurd. A college
Charlton Rich
Professor Snellgrove
English 100
27 April 2012
Final Exam Essay
Concealed Carry for Students and Teachers?
Allowing students to carry concealed weapons has become a hot topic over the last several years. Violence on college campuses has been around as long as colleges have, but it took the massacre at Virginia Tech to open people’s eyes to try to fix the problem. Violence may never be eliminated on campuses, but believing that it can be reduced by allowing teachers and students to carry concealed weapons is not the answer. There is a chance that allowing them to carry concealed weapons on college campuses will increase the violence. It would make it a lot tougher for campus law enforcement to do their job effectively. Teachers and students should not be allowed to carry concealed weapons on college campuses because it will create a more chaotic environment, they are not adequately trained to use them, and it takes the focus off of education. Allowing teachers and students to carry concealed weapons will not make college campus safer. It will make them more chaotic during a crisis because instead of one person carrying a gun you will have several. Some questions that need to be considered are: How would a 19 year old college student react with an active shooter? Would they be able to handle the threat? How many more people would get hurt because you have people shooting from all different directions? As result of this, there would be mass confusion on campus, and
Rich 2 responding law enforcement would then have more than one threat to deal with. According to Thompson et al., “Research has found that higher rates of firearm possession and ownership are associated with more acts of violence and higher rates of homicide and suicide” (248). Possessing firearms is a right to Americans under the second amendment and should not be infringed, but allowing maturing adults to carry them on a college campus is absurd. A college
Cited: Hanford, Desiree J. "Does Concealed Carry Make Sense In Schools And On Campus?" Facilities Net. Trade Press, Nov. 2008. Web. 23 Apr. 2012 McLeod, Ashton. "Bill to Allow Guns on Campus on Hold." Ocala Star - Banner: n/a. The Advocate (Stamford); Baltimore Sun; Greenwich Time; Hartford Courant; Morning Call; Newsday; Orlando Sentinel; ProQuest Newsstand; Sun Sentinel. Mar 06 2011. Web. 27 Apr. 2012 . Students For Gun Free Schools. "Why Our Campuses Are Safer Without Concealed Handguns." Students For Gun Free Schools. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. The Associated Press. "Texas: Teachers Can Carry Guns." New York Times. The New York Times Company, 16 Aug. 2008. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. Thompson, Amy, et al. "Reducing Firearm-Related Violence on college Campuses-Police Chiefs Perceptions and Practices." Journal of American College Health 58.3 (2009): 247-54.ProQuest Education Journals. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. "Your Views: Concealed Guns on Campus?" Wisconsin State Journal: B.1. The Advocate (Stamford); Baltimore Sun; Greenwich Time; Hartford Courant; Morning Call; Newsday; Orlando Sentinel; ProQuest Newsstand; Sun Sentinel. May 06 2007. Web. 27 Apr. 2012 .