Campus Carry: Preventive or Destructive? By Laura Aebi

Campus Carry: Preventive or Destructive?

By Laura Aebi

Governor Greg Abbott signed SB 11 into law in June; a bill that would allow licensed individuals to carry a holstered handgun on college campuses in Texas.

           

The bill has been met with mixed feelings- students and parents alike are wondering how the new campus carry bill is going to affect the safety of Texas universities. 

“I understand the need for some people to feel secure, however on a school campus I feel like it is inappropriate and unnecessary,” Texas State senior Matt Hamill said. “I want students in my class to focus on showing up on time and trying to learn and get their diploma and get out of here instead about worrying about their protection- which, at TXST is totally unnecessary, I mean, we have our own police department”

While many students think that the new law is only going to increase risk and cause distraction, many students think the bill is a good effort to protect the second amendment and personal liberties.

“A concealed weapon is fine. It’s a constitutional right, we should be able to carry,” said student Garrett Wittaker.

Whether or not the student body is prepared; University Police Department sergeant Alexander Villalobos said that campus law enforcement is ready for the new legitslation.  

“In the profession we swear to uphold those particular laws that are implemented, and as they are constructed, and as they are structured for enforcement,“ Villalobos said. ”Whatever comes up September 2016, we will enforce it,”

According to the University Star, Texas State has estimated it will cost $408,516 to implement the proper security improvements.

Some Texas State teachers are worried how the law is going to affect college students, a group of people already under significant stress and, for many, on their own for the first time.

“I have seen kids with their emotions out of control who stay up all night with red bull during finals week, high strung and emotional and we are handing them a weapon,” said Dr. Mary Brennan, a United States history professor. “It is not safe.”

(Mary Brennan, photo taken by Ashley Hunt)

“I think it is a bad idea and I am completely against it,” Dr. Jose De Le Puente, a world history professor, said.

Although much of the bill has been discussed in the terms of preventing school shootings, state Rep. Allen Fletcher said that’s not what he intended for the bill.

“I did not file this bill so that concealed handgun licensees could be heroes in mass-shooting situations," said Fletcher, according to CNN. "Rather, I filed this bill to allow CHL holders to protect themselves in situations where the only two people involved are a law-abiding citizen & a criminal intent on doing them harm; a much more likely scenario than a mass-shooting event."

While the bill has been met with much skepticism, Campus Carry passed with a vote of 98 to 47, and is set to go into effect on Aug 1, 2016