Texas allows guns in college classrooms under new law

[Deleted]

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-te...-idUSKCN10C2FS

A new law went into effect in Texas on Monday that allows certain students to bring guns into classrooms, with supporters saying it could prevent mass shootings and critics saying the measure will endanger safety on campuses.

The so-called state "campus carry" law allows people 21 and older with a concealed handgun license to carry pistols in classrooms and buildings throughout public colleges, including the University of Texas system, one of the nation's largest with an enrollment of more than 214,000 students.

The law took effect on the 50th anniversary of one of the deadliest U.S. gun incidents on a college campus, when a student named Charles Whitman killed 16 people by firing from a perch atop the clock tower at the University of Texas at Austin, the state's flagship public university.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican who supports campus carry, said a gunman could already bring a firearm on to campus, and the law could prevent mass shootings because someone with a licensed concealed weapon could be ready to confront a gunman.

"What campus carry does is that it only authorizes those who go through the special training and background" to carry firearms, he was quoted as saying by his office.

University of Texas professors lobbied unsuccessfully to prevent the law, arguing that the combination of youth, firearms and college life could make for a deadly situation. University President Gregory Fenves reluctantly allowed campus carry, saying he was compelled to do so under state law.

Last month, three professors sued to block the law, saying it could have a chilling effect on academic freedom. Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said the law was constitutionally sound and he would defend it.

The law allows private colleges to opt out, and most of the state's best-known private universities have done so, saying the measure runs counter to protecting student safety.

Eight states allow people to carry concealed weapons on public post-secondary campuses, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

At the University of Texas Austin campus, third-year student Courtney Dang said the idea of campus carry was scary.

"There are so many students battling the stress of campus. Some are unstable and we don't know who has a gun," said Dang.

What about high schools and primary schools?

[Kathandira]

Smart way to A: get around the arming of teachers. And B: to make a case for arming teachers as the students are now armed, and if something were to occur, the teachers would need to be able to defend themselves.

Good to see Texas is still the good ole wild west though. Keepin culture alive, no matter how horrid that culture is.

[frogger237]

Yeah I'm sure people firing wildly up at a clock tower with pistols would have stopped Charles Whitman.

[PACOX]

Now it's legal for disgruntled students to bring guns into the classroom...

"In other news, GPAs in Texas are at a record all time high "

The reason to have guns on campus is because too many schools skimp on their security budgets, which leaves students to the wolves on large dark campuses. Put cameras and guards in the garages at night, install some CCTVs, throwing up emergency call towers every 40ft, put campus PD (most large campuses have a PD and they are legit police) on bikes and golf carts, not just circling the school. Maybe give a damn about safety.

I feel like the gun think is still ignoring the issue of unsafe campuses.

[looorg]

What about high schools and primary schools?

By your own article link --- "... allows people 21 and older with a concealed handgun license to carry pistols". Shouldn't be that many 21 year old pupils in primary and high school. So it should be somewhat of an non-issue.

Yeah I'm sure people firing wildly up at a clock tower with pistols would have stopped Charles Whitman.

That didn't work out so great for the police. It was to high up, to far away, to small a target. But it sort of kept Whitman busy and made him take cover and not just stand up there and shot at anything that moved while police officers climbed the tower stairs and got him.

[nakigara]

Now it's legal for disgruntled students who were planning an illegal act of murder anyway to bring guns into the classroom...

FTFY

Also, this is colleges only - not primary, middle, or high schools so you guys can keep your shorts on.

[Daelak]

Now it's legal for disgruntled students to bring guns into the classroom...

Lol so morbidly true. The conservative braintrust of the Texas legislature all think they are John Wayne or Clint Eastwood, or some heroic Tom Clancy character just waiting for a mass shooting to begin in their space.

[sarahtasher]

Guns in, evolution out, FTW.

[s_bushido]

What about high schools and primary schools?

That's a pretty stupid question. If a college opened a bar in their food court, would you ask why high schools aren't doing the same thing?

[May90]

Guns in kindergarten! I think it would be a very bright idea!









/s

[Azadina]

Why not add in and legalize honor killing too? If someone insults you, then you are allowed to shoot the person to restore your family name and honor.

[zenkai]

We have open carry in my town, no ones getting shot, it's amazing. Although I think it would be a lot different in Chicago lol

[Stormdash]

A) students did return fire on Charles Whitman with their privately owned weapons and were credited by law enforcement with having helped prevent a lot of damage.

B) Anyone disgruntled who had a moral construct that included a mass shooting, would not give even the smallesf quantum of shits if it was legal to have a gun. None would say "drat! the gun is not permitted in the place at which I intend my homicides! I must rely on the voodoo dolls I got on Amazon".

C) as a population segment, licensed CCWs commit far fewer crimes than the general population, like vieginal nuns. Your hardened criminal element probably never has nor ever will fill out a 4473, let alone a CCW application.

D) everyday in which a CCW doesn't go crazy and start shooting at Texas colleges will be progressively more awkward for the anti-gun crowd, so expect fewer mentions of this law pretty quick.

[Turaska]

Do American's never learn? this is not going to end well, what happens when one of these students has a mental breakdown or just snaps and shoots people in his/her class? ....

[Dug]

Not a big fan of this and def don't want my fellow students armed. I'm all for concealed carry but there's a time and place for it. The classroom is not a place for this crap.

[zorkuus]

Do American's never learn? this is not going to end well, what happens when one of these students has a mental breakdown or just snaps and shoots people in his/her class? ....

All the John Wayne's will stand up and everything is okay again in Guntopia... I mean in America.

[Deleted]

FTFY

Also, this is colleges only - not primary, middle, or high schools so you guys can keep your shorts on.

Somehow that don't make me feel much more at ease...

[Kathandira]

Well. If this is just for College, I doubt any results worth considering will come of this.

Do it in Detroit. Do it in Chicago. Do it Camden. I want to see more Open Carry, or even Concealed Carry in places with high crime rates. Then we can look at the comparison between places with these laws where there is low crime and high crime. Then we can see if there is anything to learn from it.

Then lets see how well it works out. Criminals generally aren't in College. So I doubt anything will come of this. It will be no different than when they didn't have guns on them.

[TwoNineMarine]

Good on you Texas!!

[Gutpile]

Not a big fan of this and def don't want my fellow students armed. I'm all for concealed carry but there's a time and place for it. The classroom is not a place for this crap.

Yeah, it's been a real bloodbath since this law took effect.