Campuses across the United States continue to grow vulnerable every day. Since the Columbine Shooting in 1999, the nation has witnessed over two hundred and fifty shootings that were committed on a school campuses (Pearle, 2016). These shootings have been committed on school grounds, starting at the elementary level all the way through post graduate school. With the rise of social media and the internet; campus shootings have grained more attention nationally. In October 1990 Congress implemented the Gun Free School Zone Act (GFSZA); for public federally funded schools to create a barrier around designated school zones, to prevent gun related violence. The GFSZA designates a predetermined distance of 1,000 feet from school’s grounds as a gun free zone. This keeps a law-abiding citizen defenseless when entering a campus premises and allowing any potential criminal a safe-haven to commit a crime. Law abiding citizens should be allowed to concealed carry on school campuses because not only is it a Constitutional right, but it also …show more content…
Since then the government, states, and courts have created and implemented regulations such as the Gun Control Act and the Gun Free School Zone Act. These acts have determine locations and distances of which a firearm can be carried. Currently every state has a form of conceal carry; Illinois being the final state authoring this on 2013, allowing the use of a handgun for personal and home defense (Garcia Pearson, 2013). Home defense is considered a location where a person currently resides, but the states that do not allow of conceal carry on school campuses are denying citizens their judicious right. Currently eight states have passed a legislation allowing carry on campus with another twenty three states leave the decision up to the
Although most colleges allow students to bring guns on campus they do not allow them to be brought into class or administrative buildings. Many gun advocates would like to see gun normalized everywhere and a good way to that is to implement that is when people are young and developing their values and understanding of the world. The passing of campus carry laws have exploded in recent years favoring strong proponents the theory, if we provide the law to allow students and faculty to carry we remove gun free zones. Therefore protecting the population on campuses with the thinking that mass shooters prey on those schools with gun free zones. Several of the deadliest
The college campus in United State should prohibit carrying concealed guns for students’ safety. Because people rarely arm themselves for deter criminals, the responsibility should be left to official police rather than normal citizen. In addition, carrying concealed gun not only cause fear among non carrying population, but also cause higher risk of being killed or injury since criminals can legally holding concealed guns. So until the government published a more deliberate and suitable policy, the government should rethink about the consequence of permitting concealed guns, and have reaction towards the potential threat. For now, we’d better prohibit concealed guns on campus for students’ self security
College is a time of rapid change in a young person’s life, it can be many things but most importantly it is a time where students start to truly grow into their academic abilities. All students deserve an equal chance to grow in a safe learning environment, but this is not always possible as our culture has become more violent in recent years. Campus carry laws will allow law abiding citizens to protect themselves in a sacred institution, which has seen significant rises in violence in recent years. Not every tragedy is preventable, but allowing a person who has a permit to carry their weapon at school can prevent future massacres.
Schools were once treated as a haven,but between 10 years, the amount of student shootings has dramatically risen from 43 to 101. Now people think that we need to go back to the barbaric saying of ‘kill or be killed’, but there are more ways to skin a cat - and more ways of controlling this horrid situation.
Recently in America a tragedy occurred in San Bernardino, 14 people were murdered by 2 people that allegedly had ties to ISIS. Although officers responded in a matter of minutes, that speed isn’t always available, especially in rural areas. Is this the beginning of a change in America? I believe this is so and I also believe mass shootings should be addressed more specifically school shootings because the means of protection aren’t there. “Since 2013, there have been at least 161 school shootings in America- an average of nearly one a week.” (161 School Shootings in America Since 2013. everytownresearch.org.) That statistic includes 3 Indiana schools St. Mary’s Catholic School in Griffith, Indiana on 4/21/14, Purdue University on 1/21/14 and Indiana State on 9/29/14, also a high school in Louisville, Kentucky a day after the Indiana State shooting. These aren’t just happening on the west coast or down in Florida where the news only talks about, the places that seem to never be close, they’re happening close to home
Carrying a concealed weapon is the practice of carrying a concealed firearm on one 's person in public (Concealed Weapons Law & Legal Definition). There are several reasons why people feel the need to carry concealed weapons. Some feel wary of the environment in which they live, thanks in part to high crime rates. Some like the assurance that a weapon provides them in the event that a police officer is not available. Others simply like to exercise the right that the Second Amendment has granted them. Concealed carry varies state to state. For example, in Florida one would need a certain permit to carry pepper spray over a two-ounce volume, as it is considered a weapon rather than a self defense mechanism (Woodard). In addition to this, knives, stun guns, batons, and various other non-lethal weapons are regulated differently state to state. For the purpose of this paper, I will be focusing specifically on the concealed handguns within the concealed carry weapon category. I’m also choosing to focus specifically on concealed rather than open carry, as most responsible gun owners understand the negative consequences of open carry, the main consequence being, setting yourself up as a target for a shooter (Students for Concealed Carry on Campus 171).
Numerous studies have been conducted to determine if teachers should be in possession of a firearm while on school properties and if this will decrease the number and magnitude of school shootings. Many scholars believe equipping teachers with firearms will be costly and end up unnecessarily endangering more students, but many scholars claim that a teacher should be the last line of defense against a school shooter. The question this paper hopes to answer is how can equipping teachers who teach grades K-12 help to prevent school shootings in the United States. This paper will attempt to answer that question by examining the perspectives of school administration and law enforcement, the impact on student’s safety and education, the
About 4,400 colleges and universities in the United States forbid the carrying of guns on their campuses (“Colleges”). With more and more shootings on campuses, especially with the tragedy at Virginia Tech in 2006, the states are starting to rethink their position on whether guns should be allowed on campuses; especially in Texas, where Texans are known for their guns. Even with a state like that, however, the questions still remain: Will allowing students with guns make campuses a safer environment? Will it make students feel safer? As most controversial issues goes, there are two sides to the debate.
Mass shootings have become easily accessible to college students and professors. Intruders who have no relation to the college are also now able to enter the campus without being questioned as to what their purpose for being there is. The idea of students walking around campus with the ability to brutally murder a schoolmate has caused fear to be struck into the college community. Not only has the campus carry law affected students on the campus, but it also affects the community that surrounds the college. The community has grown nervous because they feel as if the outward impact of allowing guns near their homes will be severe. It places young children in danger of the unexpected. The openness of the community has granted many who want to cause emotional damage access to tearing apart families. The rate of gun violence is steadily increasing as the campus carry law becomes more
There are several debates among people that remain in a repetitive and vicious cycle of what is right, and what is wrong. Concealed carry on college campuses is one of those noticeable arguments. As the years pass by, gun rights on college campuses have become a touchy subject that is normally avoided at dinner tables and formal events. The laws concerning concealed carry on college campuses vary from state to state, and also from campus to campus. Several factors about concealed carry either have people uneasy while others adamantly fight for more gun rights on college campuses and universities. Should concealed carry be allowed on campus, and are people taking into account school violence, learning environment, crime, student’s safety and constitutional rights?
Concealed carry allows individuals the ability to carry certain concealed firearms in public. In order to carry a concealed weapon qualified individuals must obtain a permit from a designated government authority. Certain states demand different requirement, as well some do not allow Non-residents permits. Some state regulations may ban concealed weapons in specified places, like churches and schools. Due to recent shootings occurring at educational institution, a number of people are asking whether this restriction is rational: Should states permit concealed weapons on college campuses? Are guns on campus a deterrence to school shootings?
Gun violence is one of the most contentious issues in the American society today. It is an emotional issue that elicits a mixture of feelings from both sides that are in support of or against the bearing of arms by the citizens. The debate even becomes more acrimonious when it comes to schools and universities’ gun policy, as a result of the recent wave of violence that has been witnessed in many American learning centers. In the summer of 2013, the state of Illinois was the last state to adopt a policy that allows citizens the right to carry their concealed weapons in public – with some exceptions - (McEvoy, 2013). It is a legislation that has sprouted a mixture of reactions within citizens of the state, as well as education stakeholders,
The Academy for Critical Incident Analysis at John Jay College of Criminal Justice researched and found that the U.S. had nearly as many deaths by school shootings as 37 other countries combined. (America’s Long) Out of the 101 school shootings that have occurred worldwide since 1974, 97 were instigated by males. (Robertz, Frank J) Research says that school shooters are mostly men who are motivated by violent psychological issues, disruption in families, and childhood torment.
372. That is the number of mass shootings in the United States in the 2015 alone. Out of that 372, 64 were school shootings. Ever since the Columbine mass shooting in April of 1999 the country’s laws and regulations regarding gun control and how to prevent these horrible tragedies have been a highly debated topic. As more and more innocent lives are lost it is clear that something must be done to put a stop to not only mass shootings, but gun violence in general. The most recent solution, proposed specifically to decreased gun violence on college campuses is campus carry. Campus carry is allowing people to carry concealed firearms on college campuses (Doubleday). Many states have already put campus carry into effect, and many people are in favor of the law, stating that by allowing students and teachers to carry concealed firearms on campus would decrease the amount of shooting and make the campuses safer. On the other hand, that is a large majority of people against the law, arguing that college students can
In 2015 “Texas Legislature passed a bill to allow owners of handguns with permits to open carry guns throughout the state of Texas. The bill was “signed into law on June 13, 2015, and took effect on January 1, 2016”. The problem with this law that got passed by Texas legislation is that other states are adopting the idea of allowing open carry in a school environment. So far there is eight states in total that have passed the law to allow guns in a school environment. Throughout history there has been many tragedies that involved the use of guns. There can be lots of negative outcomes when allowing students to carry to school. Allowing guns in a school environment is expensive, doesn’t assure safety, and overall can promote and possibly encourage more acts of violence. Gun control in an school environment is important because if guns are allowed, in a school environment it puts many lives at risk.