# Should students be armed?



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*University of Texas shooting revives debate over allowing guns on college campuses*

By Robert T. Garrett
The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN, Texas - The University of Texas shooting stoked a simmering conflict Tuesday about allowing handguns on campus - an issue that's already roiled the governor's race and sent hundreds of students marching in protest last year.
Gov. Rick Perry says he favors allowing guns at colleges, giving owners a chance to intervene. Police groups and others say that would only confuse what are potentially chaotic situations.
Perry's Democratic challenger, Bill White, says state policymakers should stand down and let individual campuses decide.
The debate unfolded on the same day that an outspoken advocate of guns on campus, University of Maryland research scientist John Lott, was to speak at the UT Law School.
Lott's appearance was switched to a bookstore near campus after at least one sponsoring student group was reluctant to proceed after the day's events, said Robert Butler, executive director of the state Libertarian Party.
Butler said Texas' concealed handgun license holders should be able to carry on campus - which is now prohibited.

Full Story:
Should students be armed?


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## jettsixx (Dec 10, 2005)

I have mixed feeling on this one. While I do feel that anyone should be able to carry anywhere they are, I cant help but wonder what would happen if there was a school shooting. I would be concerned there may be too many "vigilante" types. However that might be able to be solved by having classes to train the students.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

Concealed Carry should mean just that. If you're licensed, and can properly conceal your handgun, you should have no issue with it on a college campus. Id rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it, and am fully prepared to accept the legal consequences if I was in a position where I'd have it to confront an active shooter on a campus.


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## jettsixx (Dec 10, 2005)

I do agree Hush, I just think a class would be a great idea as well. We all train with our firearms and use of force, I think they should do the same for the students.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

Agreed 100%, I think from a legal and a liability standpoint, people who apply for a CCW for personal protection should be required to attend the same training, and complete the same qualifications as is the standard for Police Officers. I don't know why the 2nd ammendment people get up in arms about some sort of training requirement for a license.


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## Pvt. Cowboy (Jan 26, 2005)

Ehhhh... Mixed emotions on this one. 

Would you want 18y/o college students, at one of the biggest party schools in the nation, carrying to the keg parties they attend? 

I don't think letting the students arm themselves is such a great idea, even though I'm very much pro 2nd amendment. College students aren't very responsible to start, and I can only imagine the shit storm that would start between two frat boys full of liquid courage that are packing...


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

I think the above scenario contradicts the typical, responsible CCW holder. However, does that warrant also preventing the 19 year old Iraq/Afghanistan vet from carrying a legally owned handgun to class on an unsecured campus? 
How does the arguement for letting students carry, automatically mean they will attend keg parties with guns??


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## CJIS (Mar 12, 2005)

I think we should start off by allowing Campus PD officers to carry first. Way too many unarmed Campus PD Dept's.

If a college admin won't even allow there PD to carry then there is no way in hell they will let the student body carry.


Perhaps if they first allow the PD to carry the Admin will see that having guns on campus carried by responsible adults will not bring about the end of the world.

Part two of the problem is the students themselves have been fed too much BS about guns and fear them. They would surly not allow fellow students to carry.

As others have stated I think the first step in solving the problems is sitting down with both Staff and Students and presenting the facts about gun safety and what a gun even is. 

So many people think that just because a gun looks like it can spew thousands of round a min means it must be fully auto when in fact it is a semi auto. 

A common sense approach may be the answer.


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## Mozzarella (Apr 8, 2006)

Good points. Suspend me or kick me out of class for CC, either way, my ass is making it home. Plenty of time later to sort out the paperwork. College students are not the exception to the rule, they want to CCW bad enough, they will find a way.


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## Pvt. Cowboy (Jan 26, 2005)

Hush said:


> I think the above scenario contradicts the typical, responsible CCW holder. However, does that warrant also preventing the 19 year old Iraq/Afghanistan vet from carrying a legally owned handgun to class on an unsecured campus?
> How does the arguement for letting students carry, automatically mean they will attend keg parties with guns??


Let me preface this by saying I'm with ya Hush, but for the sake of argument...

At 18/19 years old... You DEFINITELY do not have the responsibility level, nor the maturity, to be carrying. At least I don't think so. You haven't had enough life experience, and though a 19 y/o vet may have had more than the typical 19 y/o, chances are they're going to think that it's okay to be carrying to a kegger, obviously because they haven't attained the knowledge that comes with age about mixing firearms and alcohol.

The solution isn't to let the students pack heat, it would be to increase the staffing levels of UTPD to the point where the student body would be/feel safer.

I think of all the dumb drunken things I did during my college years, and can't imagine adding any more gasoline to that fire.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

I agree too, but I think its unfair and unreasonable to lump ALL college students into that category. There are a lot of fucktards out there, but they are visible because they are high profile. There are plenty of smart kids out there who keep their mouth shut and their head down.

That being said, carrying a gun is a secret that should only be shared between YOU and YOUR GUN. Nobody should have any reason to know, or suspect you have a firearm. That means keeping your gun hidden from sight, and your MOUTH SHUT. Dont tell anyone, don't talk about guns period. Don't wear the NRA hat, or the HK shirt. I have friends who carry. I don't always know when they are armed unless I ask, or feel it, and its not something they volunteer. My father told me long ago that nobody should ever know when you are armed, and he drove it home with a story. A little after college he was at a housewarming party with friends. The guy giving the tour showed the Walther air rifle he had in his basement, impressing on everyone that it was the same Walther like James Bond carried. Little did he know that my old man had a PPK on his hip. My dad said he was never more tempted to reveal his gun and talk a little about it, but he smartly kept his mouth shut. There would likely have been no consequence at the time, but better safe than sorry. That stuck with me, and often its the gun owners big mouth rather than anything else that gets him into trouble.


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## Pvt. Cowboy (Jan 26, 2005)

Hush said:


> I agree too, but I think its unfair and unreasonable to lump ALL college students into that category. There are a lot of fucktards out there, but they are visible because they are high profile. There are plenty of smart kids out there who keep their mouth shut and their head down.
> 
> *That being said, carrying a gun is a secret that should only be shared between YOU and YOUR GUN.* Nobody should have any reason to know, or suspect you have a firearm. That means keeping your gun hidden from sight, and your MOUTH SHUT. Dont tell anyone, don't talk about guns period. Don't wear the NRA hat, or the HK shirt. I have friends who carry. I don't always know when they are armed unless I ask, or feel it, and its not something they volunteer. My father told me long ago that nobody should ever know when you are armed, and he drove it home with a story. A little after college he was at a housewarming party with friends. The guy giving the tour showed the Walther air rifle he had in his basement, impressing on everyone that it was the same Walther like James Bond carried. Little did he know that my old man had a PPK on his hip. My dad said he was never more tempted to reveal his gun and talk a little about it, but he smartly kept his mouth shut. There would likely have been no consequence at the time, but better safe than sorry. That stuck with me, and often its the gun owners big mouth rather than anything else that gets him into trouble.


*HOW'D YOU KNOW I TALK TO MY GUNS!?!*

Ok in all seriousness though, you somewhat made my point. College kids, do NOT have the discretion to keep their mouths shut about carrying. They just don't have the maturity. I know I'm grouping the entire lot of them together, but I think it's rightfully so. I don't know a single 18 or 19 year old that I would feel confident with carrying, and would second guess why they were packing on a college campus in the first place.

Again, I'm sorta playing devils advocate but like I said before, the solution is to increase the presence and staffing of UTPD, not let students start bringing firearms to school in belief that they would be an asset in taking down an active shooter.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

You are basing your opinions on a flawed assumption: Not all college kids are 18-19 year olds. Students are older and older these days, and with the economy in the shitter a lot of professional types are heading back to school to complete/attain degrees. Im 29, I still take classes and find myself on college campuses. There are graduate, PHD, and doctorate students on college campuses, not to mention professional soldiers taking advantage of the GI Bill after a 4+ year military career. A ban prohibits carry by EVERYONE not just the irresponsible.

(Of course a "ban" should mean jack shit to anyone armed and switched on who believes that the threat exceeds the possible consequences)

---------- Post added at 13:50 ---------- Previous post was at 13:48 ----------



Pvt. Cowboy said:


> *HOW'D YOU KNOW I TALK TO MY GUNS!?!*


All good gun lovers do!:inlove:


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## wb08 (May 25, 2010)

Coming from the perspective of a college student, I wouldn't feel comfortable carrying on campus. I trust myself but not the people I'm in close contact with, roommates. There wouldn't be anywhere safe to keep a gun. My roommate would easily be able to get to it and people he brings into the room. I would be paranoid when it was on me. 

Public Safety/Campus Police should without a doubt carry a weapon. They are people here to keep the school safe, there is absolutely no reason why they should not be able to.


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## Guest (Sep 30, 2010)

No they shouldn't:


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## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

"Maybe someone with good Search-fu can find one of our previous discussions about this."

This goes back to 2007

http://www.masscops.com/f99/texas-campuses-may-allow-students-carry-concealed-weapons-75145/

http://www.masscops.com/f11/arizona-bill-allows-guns-school-46244/

http://www.masscops.com/f80/texas-students-push-concealed-carry-41881/

http://www.masscops.com/f11/students-strap-empty-holsters-protest-gun-restrictions-campus-40170/

http://www.masscops.com/f31/utah-allows-guns-college-campuses-29806/


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## Lost (Dec 19, 2006)

As far as I'm concerned, you really have to find a way to be consistent in your opinion on gun rights. If you are a 2nd Amendment follower, then under what rationale are you for a state sponsored institution banning an adult from possessing a firearm at their home? 

When cities in Mass are strict in their distribution of LTC A's, don't we generally agree that there are idiots out there, but that's not a reason to prohibit a lawful citizen from exercising their rights? Or that we can't limit the responsible parties from partaking in a legal event because of the irresponsible ones?

I agree, it's not a good idea- I'm just not sure where I fall on the legal aspect!


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## zm88 (Mar 5, 2009)

Im all for the right to carry, but i can just see something happening and a few differant students going into vigilante mode and shooting eachother thinking eachother are the gunman. Then when pd shows up ordering them to drop the weapon and lay down(im not saying this in a negtive way) they don't understand why. More eduction on firearms and "appropriate carry" would help. Thats just my opinion.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

WTF, why has all common sense about responsible gun ownership gone out the window because we are talking about college campuses?? Nobody is advocating handing out firearms to douchebag frat kids with popped collars, this is about allowing already legally licensed responsible firearm owners (WHO HAVE TO BE 21 ALREADY IN THIS STATE) bring their firearms to school with them. THAT INCLUDES PROFESSORS/TEACHERS/FACULTY/STAFF. Nobody here thinks its a good idea for some 18 year old jackass to come packing, but that is starting to sound like typical liberal anti-gun worst-case hysteria.


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## uspresident1 (Jan 12, 2007)

I have to side with Hush and Wolf here. Sure there are a lot of idiot college kids who are drunks and dumbasses, but I don't think they would be the ones who would be running out to get LTCs and Glocks if a school said it was O.K to carry. In my experience MOST people who take the time to get a license, go through a BI, and buy a gun are generally responsible. 

Just because your in a college classroom shouldn't mean you forfeit your God given right to self defense.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

This thread contains some strong anti-gun phobia. I don't mean anti-2nd ammendment feelings, but irrational fear of the guns themselves. Like the introduction of a gun to campus will override all common sense that we know about the types of people who are lawful CCW holders. The focus shouldn't be on the guns, the focus should be on the types of people who use guns to harm others. Fear of guns, leads to gun-bans, which does ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY NOTHING to prevent violence by those unhinged individuals who don't heed sociatal norms. I know you guys are the complete opposite, but this is the typical liberal mentality when it comes to guns. "If we don't allow have any guns, there wont be any gun violence" Really?? Think again. Guns are not the problem, its the *people* who choose to use them that we need to fear. Liberals also suffer from the "Nobody should have guns......but me" school of thought, that unfortunately Police Officers can fall into sometimes as well. Case in point, Rosie O'Donnell who is vehemently anti-gun, yet has armed protection. You don't want to be like Rosie O'Donnell, right??


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## Pvt. Cowboy (Jan 26, 2005)

Hush said:


> WTF, why has all common sense about responsible gun ownership gone out the window because we are talking about college campuses?? *Nobody is advocating handing out firearms to douchebag frat kids with popped collars,* this is about allowing already legally licensed responsible firearm owners (*WHO HAVE TO BE 21 ALREADY IN THIS STATE*) bring their firearms to school with them. THAT INCLUDES PROFESSORS/TEACHERS/FACULTY/STAFF. Nobody here thinks its a good idea for some 18 year old jackass to come packing, but that is starting to sound like typical liberal anti-gun worst-case hysteria.


Okay, that's been MY argument today, about douchey popped collar homos... And for all intents and purposes you DID mention a 19 y/o Vet when the conversation started... So there. Nyah. :smug:

Faculty, staff, teachers, those licensed and responsible enough to carry, sure, all for it. take Business 101 with a G27 on your hip, no problem. The difference between Texas and Massachusetts though is where I think I'm mixing things up in my comparison... kinda like comparing apples to moonrocks. 21 year old and licensed? Yeah sure, you're much more mature than an 18 year old, and entitled to carry here. In Texas, last time I checked, there were NO permits/restrictions for carrying. Don't they hand out .357's with the purchase of 12 packs?


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## Cleveland913 (Jun 1, 2010)

As an Ohio Police officer, I am used to a high rate of CCW holders. Normally this does not pose a problem because they are law abiding citizens exercising 2nd Amm. rights. However, there are rare occasions where these people make bad decisions, such as the death of a co-worker, Joshua Miktarian (shot by a CCW holder who was stopped for a noise violation). 
In Mass., the weapon laws are so stringent, there is little respect for the 2nd Amm., LEOSA 218, or even my DoD RTC. So I find myself wondering, if I am LE/Military and my rights to carry are not respected in this state, why should this even be topic for discussion.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

True, True. Texas nothing, try New Hampshire. 18 to carry concealed, I had friends who could carry a Glock, but couldn't buy the ammo for it at the store. (Unless it was for their 9mm _Carbine :wink_smile _Just like age is not always a guarentee of maturity, I think the same can be said for youth. You dont hear about them, but there are plenty of squared away kids out there that could do just fine armed. Hell, we trust them with M4's and Tanks when we need them. College is a volatile place to introduce potentially deadly weapons, but banning guns will not prevent a school shooting, and I think that is the important message of this discussion.


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

Yeah, there's idea. Let's give guns to these little assholes who drink themselves in to oblivion from Thursday to Sunday morning and let's just tell the Unarmed Campus Cops to go fuck themselves 'cause Little Jonny Fingerbanger has a right to bear arms.

Most of these little fuck-wads can't handle carrying an ID card never mind a gun.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

I think this whole discussion is moot and pointless anyways. Without metal detectors/pad-downs/checkpoints, there are going to be 2 types of people carrying guns on campus: Wolves intent on doing harm, and Sheepdogs willing to protect others. These "bans" are criminal and civil penalties for those caught carrying unauthorized. Unless your gun falls out of your pocket, or you open your big mouth, nobody will ever know you have a gun. If one day something does happen where you are forced to use your gun to defend your life, or the lives of others, then you can worry about those consequences. Its a balance of is your safety worth violating the rules/laws of that institution. If not, leave the gun home. If you decide you need that protection, you've accepted the possible consequences.

---------- Post added at 18:16 ---------- Previous post was at 18:08 ----------

A school is a private institution, but I believe carrying on campus is a state/federal law. The difference being, if you are discovered carrying at a private business you will be asked to leave. Caught on campus = criminal charges, loss of license, and possible fines/imprisonment. Now short of drawing to engage a threat, there is no need or reason for those around you to know you are armed. Its your own judgement as to whether or not the threat level dictates carrying, which overrides following the rules. You have to be prepared for the consequences of violating those rules/law. I think there are plenty of people who have already made up their minds.


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

I have a question here. Let us suppose that there is an active shooter at a College. The guy starts to systematically execute students one by one, but wait, here comes the Math or Chess Club, blazing away with their Glocks and Berettas. 

Now a first handful of cops arrive. They get in to their Diamond formation and quickly move in to the Quad coming face to face with a crew of gun holding, pocket protector wearing, tape on the glasses group of fine young men and women who have just pulverized the active shooter in to a bloody pile of meat. As mostof us know, an active shooter scenario is all but a suicide mission for the first responders and we are taught to neutralize the threat ASAP. So the Diamond Formationopens up on the Geek Squad. I can just see the law suit it will bring. 

No, I am not for students being armed. College Campus is not an OK Corall, and they are not the Gun Slinger(s).

Arm the Campus Cops. Let Students secure the firearms at the Campus PD if they simply must carry. But prefferably, keep their guns off campus altogether.

I am an avid supporter of the Second Amendment. I think that an armed law abiding society will dominate over the armed criminal element arond us. There is a time and place for everything


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

Wolfman said:


> There is no reason why any campus PD today should be unarmed.


"Police" = Guns. Police without guns = Security Guards. Security Guards responsibilities are to Observe and Report. Unarmed guards can't stop an active shooter, but I bet they will make a damn good witness afterwards!

I was a smart mouth 19 year-old once, and spent a lot of time at colleges. I had a few run-ins with security here and there, but I never once got a smart mouth with someone who carried a gun on their belt!

---------- Post added at 19:50 ---------- Previous post was at 19:20 ----------



263FPD said:


> I have a question here. Let us suppose that there is an active shooter at a College. The guy starts to systematically execute students one by one, but wait, here comes the Math or Chess Club, blazing away with their Glocks and Berettas.
> 
> Now a first handful of cops arrive. They get in to their Diamond formation and quickly move in to the Quad coming face to face with a crew of gun holding, pocket protector wearing, tape on the glasses group of fine young men and women who have just pulverized the active shooter in to a bloody pile of meat. As mostof us know, an active shooter scenario is all but a suicide mission for the first responders and we are taught to neutralize the threat ASAP. So the Diamond Formationopens up on the Geek Squad. I can just see the law suit it will bring.
> 
> ...


Well that situation would suck, but I'd rather 1 dead bad-guy and 1 dead good-guy, than exponentially more good guys killed while students wait for police to respond. Don't forget the chained doors at Virginia Tech and the agonizing minutes it took PD to gain access. 
There should be no difference between a CCW holder, and an off-duty police officer in a situation like this and I think both have a pretty good idea how to act when police arrive, but shit still has a way of happening. In fact, I have many friends who carry that have significantly MORE firearms/tactical training then the average police officer so its unrealistic to lump together every CCW holder as ignorant or unknowing proper procedures. 
There will always be lawsuits and friendly fire, but unfortunately thats life. The bad guys choose to do us harm, and only Police and armed citizens can stand in their way.


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

Hush, Wolfman and you, have valid points. I am not arguing, just simply stating my opinion.


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)

Pvt. Cowboy said:


> Ehhhh... Mixed emotions on this one.
> 
> Would you want 18y/o college students, at one of the biggest party schools in the nation, carrying to the keg parties they attend?
> 
> I don't think letting the students arm themselves is such a great idea, even though I'm very much pro 2nd amendment. College students aren't very responsible to start, and I can only imagine the shit storm that would start between two frat boys full of liquid courage that are packing...





Hush said:


> I think the above scenario contradicts the typical, responsible CCW holder. However, does that warrant also preventing the 19 year old Iraq/Afghanistan vet from carrying a legally owned handgun to class on an unsecured campus?
> How does the arguement for letting students carry, automatically mean they will attend keg parties with guns??


I really think it needs to depend on the student. Looking at most of my kids' friends, I would say probably not. But then, there is the friend who joined the marines. I'd have to say let him carry. As for my own kids I think they would be responsible enough. But, I still don't think I would want them carrying at 18/19 years old. One of my concerns would be that they face the risk of being over power by someone going for their weapon. I know in a best case scenario, they would be trained enough to neutralize a threat before it got to that. But, as a mom, I have to worry about the worst case scenario. Plus, I would be concerned about officer safety. Although a trained student should know enough to put the weapon down as instructed, there is always the chance of something going wrong or someone panicking & doing the wrong thing.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

Next time you find yourself on a college campus, whether in class or in the student center, a shopping mall, the gym, church, supermarket, childrens school, hospital etc.....take a minute to look around. Do you see any armed, uniformed Police officers around? (Yourself excluded) Probably not. I trust the Police will move heaven and earth to come to my rescue, but they can't be everywhere. And when some lunatic opens fire, it would be insane to rely on someone else who is not present to ensure my safety. Its not a knock, but when seconds count cops are minutes away. Only you can ensure your own personal safety at any given time, and the best way to do that in an active shooter situation is to return fire.


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## Cleveland913 (Jun 1, 2010)

Wolfman said:


> Because the disrespect for your (and our) rights to carry comes most often from those who are naive, ignorant, afraid or have a horse in the race. Some of us don't subscribe to these viewpoints and use these discussions in an attempt to convince others that while they may not be *wrong* per se, they may want to take other factors into consideration and get a better perspective on their views.
> 
> You and other residents of "free" states may be ready to give up on those of us behind the iron curtain. Many of us here aren't quite ready to surrender so fast.
> 
> ...


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## Lost (Dec 19, 2006)

Hush said:


> [/COLOR]A school is a private institution, but I believe carrying on campus is a state/federal law. The difference being, if you are discovered carrying at a private business you will be asked to leave. Caught on campus = criminal charges, loss of license, and possible fines/imprisonment. Now short of drawing to engage a threat, there is no need or reason for those around you to know you are armed. Its your own judgement as to whether or not the threat level dictates carrying, which overrides following the rules. You have to be prepared for the consequences of violating those rules/law. I think there are plenty of people who have already made up their minds.


I'm pretty sure that a state school is a public institution, receiving public funds. No?



263FPD said:


> Yeah, there's idea. Let's give guns to these little assholes who drink themselves in to oblivion from Thursday to Sunday morning and let's just tell the Unarmed Campus Cops to go fuck themselves 'cause Little Jonny Fingerbanger has a right to bear arms.
> 
> Most of these little fuck-wads can't handle carrying an ID card never mind a gun.


263, I'm usually right with you. YES, most are fuck-wads, and I was there too! Drinking 6 nights a week and waking up trying to piece together the night before everyday was fun, but I was equally irresponsible at home, as were most of my friends. If that's your issue, maybe the LTC age needs to be 21 in every state- or 25, or 30. I think I hit the responsible spot somewhere around 23 or 24.

From a practicality standpoint, I agree with you. But I think that if gun rights advocates want to argue for a strict reading of the 2nd amendment, then you'll need a legal explanation why colleges should be able to ban guns.



Wolfman said:


> I have been going to college, off and on, one or two classes at a time for the better part of the last 10 years. Day classes, night classes, traditional, continuing ed, science, art, music, literature...and I would say that I would trust just about every student I met to be able to responsibly carry a gun if they so choose. I would actually trust more of the students than some of the faculty. The few that were sketchy (a) wouldn't bother even thinking about spending beer money on a gun or (b) wouldn't let a policy or law stand in their way any more that if they were back in da hood.


You must go to Saintly U- I wouldn't have even trusted myself in college, let alone ANY of my classmates.


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## rg1283 (Sep 14, 2005)

First of all if your a Police Officer in Massachusetts and are authorized to carry a firearm. You should be able to carry at concealed at school.

All campus police should be armed with handguns and patrol rifles and the ability to communicate directly with the local town police over the radio if needed. What annoys the shit out of me more is the fact that most Campus Police Departments (Hospital, College) the officer's issued weapon is stored on campus. So unless they are allowed to carry off duty on campus. Once they clock out the weapon stays in the armory.

As far as college students carrying. I can't really go for the idea of someone who lives in a dorm carrying a fire arm. Unless they carry it 24/7 or have a private room someone else could get a hold of that fire arm.

I agree with students who live off campus or go to school as a commuter carrying concealed.

Too many variables also. Keep in mind most College and a lot of Hospitals are super liberal when it comes to these things. 

We are lucky in MA to have so many Campus Police Departments compared to most other states in New England.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

rg1283 said:


> . Keep in mind most College and a lot of Hospitals are super liberal when it comes to these things.


I had to pick a patient up at a dialysis clinic, and it had a big "No Firearms" sign that was larger, and above the "No Smoking" sign. I don't get it?!?


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## OfficerObie59 (Sep 14, 2007)

My main reason for carrying to class is the 45 minute Red Line commute where I once ran into someone I had arrested and had the uneasy feeling of being trapped in a subway car with that person. Still, the prospect of a school shooting is friggin' scary, especially because Massachusetts has essentially every made college campuses gun free by law.

My school is, for the purposes of this discussion, a single-building campus with plain clothes, unarmed security. And because in Massachusetts anyone other than a police officer (including an holder of a Class A ALP) is statutorily prohibited from carrying on the grounds of a school or college campus, I am completely aware of the reality that I may be the only armed person out of some 300 to 400 people in the building if an active shooter situation breaks out. But only the people in the same room as me are going to reap any benefits, because I have no desire to go out into the hallway with a handgun, the first sight of which by the responding officers is going to get me killed.

Let students carry with the caveat that private institutions can ban whatever the hell they want. In addition, something should be done to inform them of how they'll be "treated" if they appear to be the active shooter they're trying to protect themselves against.


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