Would students be at a higher risk of their safety on college campuses if they were allowed to carry concealed weapons? Many school administrations seem to think so, given the lethal nature of firearms. They are concerned that students would be given a greater disposition to misuse or become carless in the handling of firearms. They back these claims with emotionally stirring stories, from places like Virginia Tech, where Seung-Hui Cho, an English Major at the university, had legally obtained his weapons, and ruthlessly murdered 32 people, in two separate incidents.
Cho was in complete compliance with all gun-purchase laws within the state of Virginia until the day of the shootings.
One of the victims, Colin Goddard, 
who was injured in the shooting, has joined the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. He has made a strong effort in his campaign endorse laws that ensure that there are no guns permitted on college campuses. This campaign has spoken to many bodies of legislation across the country.
Goddard is genuinely concerned with the safety of his fellow student, and being a victim a violent rampage that had one of the most tragic outcomes our country has ever seen, he is viewed by many as the perfect man to be at the front of this fight to keep guns off college campuses. He is quoted in The Dallas Morning News, giving some rather sound logic to his case:
“Three scholars wrote in the Journal of American College Health in 2002: 'college gun owners are more likely than those who do not own guns to engage in activities that put themselves and others at risk.' I experienced that first-hand…
“Remember, my whole class thought it was construction noise. Then I thought the killer was a police officer. I barely had time to make the phone call. Anyone who thinks I could have gotten to a weapon and shot somebody I never fully saw watches too many movies.
Instead of putting more guns in that classroom two years ago, I would work toward removing the two that were there, in the hands of the shooter. Guns on campus were the problem two years ago, not the solution. And we have to solve the problem, not make more of them.” (Goddard, “Guns on Campus”, 2009)
Also with this movement are other groups, including the Association for Student Conduct Administration, the Association of College and University Housing Officers—International, and the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association. The Executive Directors of these three organizations have banded together, and issued a statement naming many valid and substantial arguments against not only concealed carry, but possession of weapons in general on any university property. Some of their reasoning includes the higher risk of suicide that weapon possession creates, inability to ensure that students maintain proper permits for and storage of weapons, risk of theft of firearms, accidental discharge, or even misuse of the gun by licensed holders, such as in the case of Virginia Tech’s crazed killer.
They make it very clear that they do not wish to see laws enacted that restrict the right of state-run universities to ban concealed weapons, such as the state of Utah has done. They mention that measures are taken “to ensure the safety of student, such as:
the presence of hall staff, front desk monitors, student background checks, security services, campus safety patrols, locked entry doors, security monitoring devises, etc.” (Potts, Traxler, Blumenthal, “Statement”, 2009).
However, in there is another logical approach that is also genuinely concerned with the safety of students. These individuals and groups, such as the National Rifle Association (NRA), Students for Concealed Carry, and the Citizen’s Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, contend that guns have already saved lives at schools where concealed weapons carry is permitted, such as was the case in 2002 when two law students at the Appalachian Law School in Virginia held a gunman at bay, with their own weapons that they legally possessed. (CCRKBA, “…Saved Lives”)
These groups contend that because there have been no school shootings of any kind in the state of Utah, where concealed weapons carry is permitted at all state schools, this would deter criminals in other states, citing statistics that violent crime in states that allow concealed weapons carry is upwards 30% lower than that of states that do not allow concealed carry. (Lott, More Guns, 1998.)They argue that this logic should be applied to college campuses, because college campuses are no different than any other place, such as malls or office buildings, that allow legal concealed weapons carry. (ConcealedCampus.org, “Common Arguments”, argument 4)
While agreeing with the safety concerncs that Goddard, the Brady Campaign,
and others who promote and fight for tighter gun control laws present, I would tend to agree with the second argument, because it seems more factually based, relying more upon logic and facts, rather than emotionally-based speculation, of what “could happen”, such as increases of suicides. I personally find these risks to be negligibly small when held in comparison to benefits of allowing individual students to protect themselves.
Such students who choose to legally carry weapons usually do not live in dorms, as those students would tend to be more of the freshmen, eighteen to nineteen years old, fresh out of high school and still unable to legally carry a concealed weapon. Those whom I have spoken to who wish to carry their weapons normally reside outside of the colleges’ campuses; this is the case at the LDS Business College, for instance, where most of those in the dorms are indeed eighteen or nineteen years of age, with the occasional twenty-something residing there.
True, all are concerned about the safety of students on college campuses. I encourage everyone to take a good look at both sides and make a decision for themselves: should students be guaranteed their constitutional right to carry weapons on campus? As a concealed weapons permit holder, I advocate this right, on the basis that it will keep students safer, because criminals will most certainly think twice before shooting up a place where people could potentially be armed and prepared to defend their lives.
Sources:
Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, Concealedcampus.org/ (n.d.), retrieved March 25, 2010
Goddard, C. The Dallas Morning News, “Guns on Campus Are Problem, Not Solution”, (Monday, April 26, 2009), retrieved 13 April 2010 via http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/viewpoints/stories/DN-goddard_28edi.State.Edition1.253393d.html
Lott, J. More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun-Control Laws (1998), Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Potts, B.; Traxler, S.; Blumenthal, K,. Statement against Concealed Weapon Carry in University Residence (2009, June 19), The Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA), retrieved 13 April 2010, via http://www.acuho-i.org/portals/0/pdf/concealed_carry_statement_wNIRSA_ASCA.pdf
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