Keep guns off college campuses

Guns do not belong on college campuses, but if Republicans in the Texas Legislature have their way, it will become a reality.

Several bills are being voted on currently in both Senate and House committees, and the House itself that would allow students with a concealed handgun licence to carry concealed guns on campus.

The Legislature should not pass these bills because by doing so they will be ignoring the opinions of college and university students and their school's presidents who have come to a consensus that they do not approve of concealed carry on campus.

Austin Community College President Stephen Kinslow has publicly stated that on behalf of ACC, he opposes all legislation that would make concealed carry on campus law.

Also, the Texas Community College Teacher's Association (TCCTA) conducted a survey earlier this year among Texas' 50 community colleges and found that 80 percent of TCCTA members surveyed voted they would not favor a law to allow guns on campus.

Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC) President Bill Holda agrees with the TCCTA stance that the bills should not be made into law.

Guns simply do not belong on college campuses because a college's primary goal is education. Colleges are suppose to offer students a safe and hospitable learning environment.

The idea of students carrying concealed guns does nothing positive for the learning environment because it adds increased fear, anxiety and stress among the student body, staff and faculty.

Instead of arming students, we should be proactive through education and prevention against violent behavior.

Students need to be educated on what to do if there is a shooter on campus, not told to have free range and start shooting at the suspect. That's what police authorities are for.

We need to leave the policing to the people who have been trained to handle those type of situations.

Supporters of these bills argue that it is everyone's Second Amendment right to bear arms, and this should not be infringed upon. We agree, but there are certain places where guns do not belong like churches, airports, courthouses and other premises like college campuses.

Many legislators like Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) have stated that they are in favor of concealed carry on campus laws because of the Virginia Tech massacre.

They believe that if a potential shooter is aware that college students with CHLs are carrying their guns on campus that it will actually deter them from following through with their actions.

That's not true. Suicide accounts for the second highest reason for deaths among college students. If a shooter is suicidal, what is going to stop him or her from walking on to a college campus then?

Relating the Virginia Tech massacre to concealed carry on campus bills is nothing more than a fear mongering tactic that Republican senators and house representatives are driving at the public.

Proponents of concealed carry on campus certainly have the right to have their opinions heard, but after watching Senate and Committee hearings on the bills it is clear that opponents of the bill outweigh those who are for it.

All signs point to concealed carry on campus becoming a law only because Republicans have more votes in both the Senate and the House. These bills will pass because we, their constituents, are not being listened to.