Premium Essay

Students Should Be Allowed To Carry Concealed Weapons In Schools

Submitted By
Words 1600
Pages 7
Imagine sitting in a classroom, just like any other day. All of a sudden, two of your classmates walk in with guns, shooting you and your fellow peers. The idea might sound far off, but that is what happened at the Columbine High School shooting on April 20, 1999. According to a school safety timeline, “Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, go on a shooting rampage and kill 12 students and one teacher, wound 23 others and then kill themselves” (School Safety Timeline). Weapons were not allowed at the high school, but that did not stop the students. However, there is a large debate going on about whether or not teachers and college students should be allowed to carry concealed weapons on school grounds for self-defense. If teachers and university …show more content…
First, if students knew there could potentially be weapons around them, they might become distracted while thinking about dangerous possibilities or outcomes instead of their schoolwork. Next, police are trained to respond to situations like school shootings, and teachers or university students would not have as much experience with guns, potentially making more accidents happen than necessary. Finally, the idea of having weapons around a learning environment would make both students and teachers feel uneasy and unsafe. Overall, although schools and states might think that allowing concealed carry would make students safer and more secure, it could potentially make incidents like the Columbine High School shooting more frequent and easier to pull off. Imagine sitting in class just like any other day. All of a sudden, two of your classmates walk in with guns, shooting you and your fellow peers. The idea might sound far off, but that is what happened on April 20, 1999 during the Columbine High School

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Guns on Campus

...Guns on College Campus Should guns be allowed on college campus? Kenton L. McGowen Abstract This paper will determine whether guns have a place on college, and school campuses. The conclusion that the paper reaches is that students who have guns will be tempted to use them, especially at universities and colleges that are full of drug use, stress, and anxiety. The mixture of guns into a formula like that is simply not conducive to a safe environment. This paper will take evidence from experts, as well as state rulings to show the two sides of gun control in regards to school campuses in order to answer the question: Should guns be allowed on college campuses? The constitution of the United States guarantees our right to bear arms in order to defend ourselves, but where does the line fall where it is ok and not okay to carry weapons? The debate has shifted from restaurants, to stores, and now to schools. It is recently that the question has come up, should college campus students be allowed to have guns? The question is a safety issue and mostly centers around a need for the preservation of life on these campuses, and whether or not the guns are absolutely necessary to have. It has been spurred on by the recent slew of school shootings that have hit areas of the country, most notably Virginia Tech in 2006. There are valid argumentative points to both sides, however. As previously mentioned, the constitution of the United States guarantees...

Words: 2630 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Concealed Weapons in Gun Free Zones

...Concealed Weapons In Gun Free Zones Recently many people have started debating whether or not having a concealed weapon in a gun free zone is an intelligent and safe way to maintain protection. Allowing responsible citizens in good legal standing to carry concealed firearms in a lawful manner in gun free zones decreases certain types of violent crimes such as murder, property crime, and even mass shootings. The decline in these types of crime is due to rational behavior of criminals as a group and their fear of being shot by an armed citizen. Because most criminals fear being shot, the carrying of concealed weapons also produces a protective shield for individuals who do not carry firearms due to the fact that impending attackers would not be able to determine who is armed and who is not. Permitting private citizens to carry concealed firearms in a gun free zone is the most cost-effective way to fight these types of crimes. Connecticut is the home of one of the worst school shootings ever to have occurred in history. On December 14, 2012 Adam Lanza shot twenty children and six adults killing them all in a mass murder at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The first two to confront Adam were principal, Dawn Hochsprung, and school psychologist, Mary Sherlach (Taylor & Francis Online), they were quickly shot down by the gunman. It is widely believed that if either of the two had been trained with a weapon for self-defense and were permitted to carry a gun on school property then...

Words: 1373 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Mass Shooting In America

...happened on school grounds. For example, on April 16, 2007 a student named Seung-Hi Cho from Virginia Tech University killed thirty-two students and faculty members and injured seventeen. If at the time, carrying a concealed firearm on campus was legal Seung-Hi could have been stopped before he hurt so many people.The new Bill eleven states that both the students and teachers twenty-one and older are allowed to carry concealed weapons on campus with a license. I completely support the new Bill and campus carry on because students and faculty that are qualified should have the right to...

Words: 688 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Annotated Bibliography

...ago with the most recent data and continues to be updated as new stats and facts become available. It is also neutral in nature, giving just the facts and referencing both the affirmative and negative sides of the argument. 2. McEntee, Peg. “Utah Teacher Shoots Herself in Leg With Concealed Weapon.” Huffington Post 11 Sept. 2014 Web 18 Sept. 2014 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/11/teacher-shoots-self-concealed-weapon_n_5807826.html?utm_hp_ref=gun-control The Huffington Post is a news site with an entire section dedicated to news surrounding gun control, both recent and past. This article is helpful because it outlines the concealed carry laws in Utah schools, a state which has closely modeled it’s laws after Colorado’s. This article is useful because it describes some of the negative effect that concealed carry on campus has for the person carrying as well as the student population/their parents if they find out about the firearm. 3. Students for Concealed Carry. “Common Arguments Against Campus Carry.” Concealed Campus 2011-2012 Web Sept. 18 2014 http://concealedcampus.org/common-arguments/ Students for Concealed Carry is a student run organization which advocated for legal concealed carry on campuses in the United States. This article is helpful because it outlines some of the opposing arguments that the affirmative side of our case may face, and provides useful rebuttal to those with facts, stats, and other information that is relevant to our central question. ...

Words: 2184 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Concealed Carry on Campus

...Concealed Carry on Campus: Yea or Nay? 1 Concealed Carry on Campus: Yea or Nay? Toni Struve COM/155 University Composition and Communication I May 6, 2012 Kathleen Zurich   Concealed Carry on Campus: Yea or Nay? 2 Abstract This essay debates the pros and cons of allowing concealed carry weapons on campuses. Both sides have relevant information that supports their point of view. I have presented data from both sides of this issue and leave it to the reader to decide which argument they will support.   Concealed Carry on Campus: Yea or Nay? 3 In the war over guns, the first casualty was the truth (Kleck, 2009). Could the results of the tragedies at Columbine, Virginia Tech, and the private college in California been lessened if concealed weapons were permitted on campuses? Studies have been conducted, but there have been no definitive results. Each side of this question can quote statistics and studies that will prove their point of view. There is no absolute answer to this question, but many people believe that the outcome may have been much different if concealed weapons were present on campus. As with every issue of this magnitude, there are two sides to this question. The debate about whether to allow concealed weapons on campus raises questions of personal safety, legality and are gun-free zones really safer. Students for Concealed Carry is a nationwide organization made up of over 43,000 students, professors...

Words: 1351 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Texas Campus Carry Research Paper

...Texas Campus Carry Texas Campus Carry has been a major topic of debate as of late. Many of those who support Campus Carry believe that concealed handguns allow licensed adults to defend themselves and protect others in the event of a crisis. These supporters believe gun laws only restrict law abiding citizens from their 2nd amendment rights with minimal effect on criminal gun owners. However; many anti-gun activists believe that more guns are not the answer to a gun problem and a Campus Carry law may increase accidental discharges, violence, as well as youth suicides. The University of Texas massacre fifty years ago is a prime example of this heated issue on both sides of the gun debate. On August 1, 1966, Charles Joseph Whitman climbed the University of Texas Tower, in Austin, and in a span of 96 minutes fired 150 high-powered rounds of ammunition down into unsuspecting university students and faculty. Those nearby heard "strange noises" and thought nothing of it until they saw the bodies and blood on the sidewalks. The shooter killed and wounded nearly 50 people that day (Lavergne). A similar occurrence happened on a Monday morning April 2007, on the campus of Virginia...

Words: 1603 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Pros And Cons Of Armed Teachers Essay

...Most recently schools have been more conscious about strangers entering their school buildings. Because of school shootings and threats becoming more popular, the idea of teachers being armed to protect their students is rising. The topic is debated a lot between teacher themselves, the students and the student’s guardians. Though a lot of people believe that armed teachers may help the students in a time of danger, most likely, arming the teachers may end more badly than predicted. Some believe that arming teachers could protect the students against any harmful threats that may happen. Those that agree with the arming of teachers, say that they would be trained with using the weapon in case of emergency. The teachers may be fine with handling...

Words: 986 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Concealed Carry on College Campuses

...Concealed Handgun License Carriers Rights in Higher Education: A Classical Argument With around 300 million guns in civilian hands, the United States is a nation thriving with gun culture. Time after time, tragedies of guns falling into the wrong hands, leading to a school massacre, provokes schools to restrict firearms on campus through school policy. Even though facilities of higher education have been deemed generally safe places, school shootings have periodically disrupted that ideology, triggering debate of how students and faculty should defend themselves in the event of a shooting. Restricting firearms on campuses, a notion praised by gun-control advocates, raises the argument of the constitutionality of that decision by gun advocates. In order for an individual to be able to properly exercise his/her right to self-defense, college firearm policy shouldn’t ban carry of handguns by CHL holders, because it infringes on the second amendment, infringes on the ability to defend oneself, and would deter the effects of violence and crime on college campuses. Colleges shouldn’t ban the carry of handguns by CHL holders as it allows individuals the right to defend themselves in event of a shooting. In the past few years, there have been many instances of violence on campus from killers who did not have a CHL license. Theses shooters appear randomly and the amount of damage they can do is unpredictable. Campus security and police are only so available, and are most likely too...

Words: 1013 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Why We Should Not Be Allowed To Have Guns On College Campuses

...control. Many shootings have occurred causing many deaths, including children. Some have been at elementary schools, college campuses, and even at a movie theater. What makes people think that by allowing college students to have guns on their campus will help solve this problem? Instead of helping, it might make things worse. There should not be any type of weapon on college campuses. There should be more restrictions on permitting guns rather than allowing more people to have access to them. Guns on college campuses should be prohibited because it can damage people’s emotional wellbeing, cause accidents, and raise crime rates. In the Constitution, there were ten Amendments added to it which gave people certain rights and privileges. These amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. It was passed by Congress on September 25, 1789, and was later ratified on December 15, 1791 (Amendment II Right to Bear Arms). The second Amendment of the United States Constitution states, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary...

Words: 988 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

More Gun Control

...• SUBSCRIBE • RENEW • GIVE A GIFT • DIGITAL EDITION Print | Close The Case for More Guns (And More Gun Control) HOW DO WE REDUCE GUN CRIME AND AURORA-STYLE MASS SHOOTINGS WHEN AMERICANS ALREADY OWN NEARLY 300 MILLION FIREARMS? MAYBE BY ALLOWING MORE PEOPLE TO CARRY THEM. By Jeffrey Goldberg The Century 16 Cineplex in Aurora, Colorado, stands desolate behind a temporary green fence, which was raised to protect the theater from prying eyes and mischief-makers. The parking lots that surround the multiplex are empty—weeds are pushing through the asphalt—and the only person at the theater when I visited a few weeks ago was an enervated Aurora police officer assigned to guard the site. I asked the officer whether the building, which has stood empty since the night of July 20, when a former graduate student named James E. Holmes is alleged to have killed 12 people and wounded 58 others at a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises, still drew the curious. “People drive by to look,” he said, but “not too many.” The Aurora massacre is noteworthy, even in the crowded field of mass shootings, as one of the more wretched and demoralizing in the recent history of American violence, and I was surprised that the scene of the crime did not attract more attention. “I guess people move on,” he said. I walked up a slight rise that provided an imperfect view of the back of Theater 9, where the massacre took place, and tried to imagine the precise emotions the victims felt...

Words: 7234 - Pages: 29

Free Essay

Tx Teachers and Guns

...x Do Texas Teachers Feel Concealed Handguns Are a Viable Security Option on Texas ISD Campuses? Timothy D. Clouse Wayland Baptist University EDUC 5366 1 February, 2012 Abstract This study is to explore how Texas Teachers feel about the possibility of other faculty or staff members carrying a concealed firearm on school property as a means to protect the students and staff from an armed attack. A survey was sent to 720 teachers across the 20 Texas school regions. The survey is made up of nine questions; the first seven are general information questions to provide researchers with demographic data; the remaining two are opinionated questions concerning how they feel about themselves or other trained faculty or staff carrying firearms in their school. Results were divided evenly between those that were for and those that were against having concealed firearms in their schools. Gender, prior military service, school population, and the type of school setting, i.e., elementary, junior high, or high school, generally, were not factors in determining how teachers felt about the subject; however, there was one significant finding, among teachers that possess a Texas Concealed Handgun license (CHL), results were unanimous when asked if they would volunteer to carry a weapon at their school. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Introduction 4 Problem Statement 5 Literature Review 5 Methodology 6 Limitations of Study 8 Results 9 Conclusion 11 Reference List...

Words: 4137 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

Should Concealed Weapons Be Allowed In Schools

...Where Concealed Weapons Should Not Be Permitted A college campus is a place where our children go to earn a degree after leaving high school. You will also find some adults on the campus trying to get ahead in life by furthering their education. Although education is what they seek, they find themselves exposed to a variety of things that are not considered safe. Weapons are one of these exposures. And the law is trying to make concealed weapons legal. Students carrying concealed weapons exposes the college campuses to more threats and should not be permitted. There was an incident where an anonymous caller threatened a college in Santa Monica, and dozens of elementary and middle schools had to be put on lockdown. The college itself was evacuated. Classes at East L.A. College were canceled for the rest of the day (Threats, 2013). This...

Words: 1022 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Legalizing Concealed Weapons

...Jasmine Anthony Mrs. Kenney English 112 April 29, 2014 Legalizing Concealed Weapons: Research Synthesis Many times people confuse whether or not allowing gun laws actually reduces the crime rate. As gun rights is a natural born right of citizens, some believe that should be banned, and many others believe that the law should be extended to lawful citizens. Based on my own experiences there have been several instances where I wish a legalized weapon was in arms reach. There was an instance about 7 years ago where my little brother and I were the only two in the house and an intruder broke in while we were there. No one was hurt or injured but it was traumatic for two children as it happened right after my mom had went to work. I would have felt more secure and confident if I was to know that a legalized weapon was around for our protection. Through research, why concealed carry laws should be implied into every state's legislation will be debated and each point of view will be expressed. As this topic applies to everyone, every citizen should have the opportunity to exercise their rights. Many people are victims to crimes that they could have gotten away from. How many rape cases could have been avoided? How many school shootings could have been prevented before the shooting began? All of the latter mentioned cases are incidents that could significantly reduce our crime rate if concealed carry laws were in effect in every state. Also included in this essay will be a viewpoint...

Words: 5643 - Pages: 23

Premium Essay

Responding to Dr. Langdal

...------------------------------------------------- THE CASE FOR MORE Guns (AND MORE GUN CONTROL). Language: English Authors: GOLDBERG, JEFFREY Source: Atlantic; Dec2012, Vol. 310 Issue 5, p68-78, 9p, 4 Color Photographs Document Type: Article Publication Information: Atlantic Media Company Subject Terms: GUN control -- United States CONCEALED weapons AURORA shootings, Aurora, Colo., 2012 COLUMBINE High School Massacre, Littleton, Colo., 1999 MAUSER, Tom FIREARMS -- Law & legislation -- United States SCHOOL shootings -- Prevention Geographic Terms: UNITED States Abstract: The article discusses gun control in the U.S. and argues for a connection between increased access to guns among law-abiding citizens and the prevention of gun violence. The author looks at several shootings such as the 2012 movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado and the state's 1999 Columbine High School shooting. Topics include gun control advocate Tom Mauser whose son died in the Columbine shooting, laws related to U.S. gun shows and concealed weapons, as well as university policies. Document Information: Essay last updated: 20121204 Lexile: 1310 ISSN: 10727825 Accession Number: 83811665 Database: Literary Reference Center Translate Full Text:    HTML Full Text ------------------------------------------------- THE CASE FOR MORE Guns (AND MORE GUN CONTROL)  ListenSelect:    THE CENTURY 16 CINEPLEX in Aurora, Colorado, stands desolate behind a temporary green fence,...

Words: 7441 - Pages: 30

Premium Essay

Persuasive Essay On Guns On Campus

...Restricting concealed weapons on a college campus will only affect law-abiding students. If somebody wants to commit a crime, they will find a way to do it. As students, we need to have the ability to make the decision to carry a weapon on our person if that is what makes us feel safe. There is nothing more valuable than safety (Students). Andre Williams, another senior at FGCU agrees with not allowing guns on campuses. Andre explains how allowing a concealed weapon on campus makes the place even more dangerous. While giving more information on how guns are bad, Andre mentions the shooting in Oregon; he explains, “That person still had his mind made up when he thought about shooting up a school,’ which could be true in a sense. But, just allowing any and everybody to carry weapons on campus would not only make it easier, but I believe it would make the campus even more vulnerable and unsafe”...

Words: 719 - Pages: 3