#217 Guns In School

I teach a college class in N. Texas.  Each spring we have a department meeting, and our 2015 meeting was yesterday.  We spent hours working through the agenda, as is usual for this sort of thing, and towards the end of the meeting, our Dean read the word "Concerns," which was printed at the bottom of the page next to the word "Questions." A teacher next to me raised his hand.

He said, "I've got concerns.  The Texas Legislature just passed a law allowing concealed handguns on campus, and now I'm nervous to even be in the classroom with students."

Most of us nodded.  A law that allows students to carry concealed handguns on campus is ludicrous.  Even for Texas.  A gun in the classroom?  Makes as much sense as hen shit on a pump handle.  But there was one teacher in the wings, one man with his hand raised halfway toward the ceiling.  Before the Dean, or anyone else, could speak, he said, "Well, they still have to have their concealed handgun license."

That one guy is the problem.  That attitude is the problem.  Having a license doesn't make it okay to carry a gun in the classroom.  Or anywhere else in public.  It just doesn't.  The constitution allows for citizens to be armed against a threat to home, family, and freedom.  None of these are threatened in school.  Yet, fights break out in school all the time.  Fights over boyfriends or girlfriends.  Skirmishes over a fender bender.  I once saw a fight over an errant frisbee that hit an innocent bystander in the head.  The boy thought it was thrown on purpose, and thus, a fight ensued.

I'm not in favor of fights, but I understand that they happen.  Students square off against each other over pride, jealousy, prejudice, and occasionally, over misthrown frisbees.  Adolescent emotions can cause lapses in judgement, and sometimes fights result.  But in these moments, rarely are students' lives in danger.  Throw in concealed handguns, and that changes.  Now everyone's life is in danger.

I've read articles on why this has been allowed to happen, and the only justification mentioned in favor of the law claims that carrying a weapon is a "God given right."  This makes no sense.  Guns didn't even exist when the bible was written.  Religion is too often used to justify violence.  And thanks to the Texas Legislature, now it's used to encourage it.

It's time for sensible people to speak out against this law.  I understand there is a vocal minority who LOVE guns.  But most of us agree that guns have no place in our schools and other public places.  I'm against guns anywhere.  But if we must have them because of the 2nd amendment, then let's keep them isolated to people's home (for protection) and for sport (hunting).  And when that one guy tentatively raises his hand and says, "Well, at least the students have a concealed license," we need to explain that isn't a good enough reason to put everyone else's life in danger.