University Of Texas Professor To Withdraw Over Campus Carry

Opinions vary on the University of Texas at Arlington campus about the topic of Campus Carry – the law that will allow licensed people to carry concealed handguns onto public college campuses beginning in the fall of 2016.

The survey comes at a time when gun control on college campuses has become a sensitive issue.

Educators worry that allowing guns in the school could hamper free speech, and violate academic freedom.

According to a press release from the Department of Public Safety, the University has assigned the group with the responsibility to develop a campus carry policy compliant with the new law.

“They say the shooter in Oregon had a concealed handgun license, so how is someone else having a concealed handgun license on campus going to stop that?” creative writing sophomore Lane Myers said. For example, Sandy Hook Elementary School is a “gun free school”, yet everyone has heard about the tragic murders of those 20 elementary students and six adults.

More than 300 UT professors, as of Monday afternoon, had signed a petition to restrict guns in their classrooms.

Though many pro-gun advocates consider this a victory, many students at UH are divided on the issue. Moreover, campus carry allows professors to bring weapons as well. Fletcher is a retired police officer. Students would think twice about any actions, knowing that their professors could be armed. He said he constantly reminded those officials that there is almost twenty years of factual data on Texas CHL holders that disproves their unfounded fears. The focus needs to be on improving mental stability of people who misuse guns, and on ensuring that routes to illegal acquisition of firearms are blocked.

Several college administrators spoke out against the proposed law during the legislative session in the spring, including William McRaven, chancellor of the University of Texas system.

While the initial idea of campus carry seems scary, take a step back.

Sammy Minkowitz is a government and economics sophomore from Houston.

While Moore has never seen a student bringing a gun to her class, she has “had a few experiences that made [her] very grateful students weren’t allowed to carry guns on campus”.