Guns in Plain View

Guns in Plain View

Students, employees and parents were asked their opinion about the soon-to-be open carry law in Texas and how they believe it affects Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. The responses were surprisingly diverse.

Andres Davila
Photo by Angelique Paccione

Andres Davila, a Spanish major, was asked if he believes that concealed carry will affect the education system. Davila says, “If there is a weapon in the classroom, I don’t know what would happen if a teacher could have any delegation over it. I think it would definitely affect education. It would make people scared and draw people away from pursuing an education. It’d cause a divide.”

Matthew Hamill
Photo by Laura Aebi

Mass Communication major, Matthew Hamill, responded with similar beliefs when asked if students should be allowed to have guns in class. “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,” says Hamill.

Student Garrett Wittaker has an opposing view on the open carry law. “I am for it because it’s concealed. If it were open carry, it could scare younger people on campus. But concealed weapon is fine. It’s a constitutional right; we should be able to carry,” says Wittaker.

Garrett Wittaker
Photo by Kendell Brandon

Janet Vela, a bio chemistry major, also opposes Davila’s view on open carry. Vela says that college students are adults and should be able to make their own decisions.

Janet Vela

Tim Bruger
Photo by Carlos A. Ibarra

Parents are also concerned about how the law may affect their children entering his/her first year at the University.

Tim Brugger, father of a future student of Texas State University, was asked if he would vote in favor of or against the law. Brugger says, “I'd vote in favor for it. I think I'd trust a gun owner with a license, more than an owner with out one."

A representative of the University Police Department, Sergeant Jeff Brown, was asked a few questions on his opinion as well.

Regardless of his opinion, Sergeant Brown says that whatever comes up in September 2016, we (the University police department) will enforce it.

Sergeant Jeff Brown
Photo by Alexander Villalobos

Sergeant Brown was asked if he believes that concealed handgun training for civilians is extensive enough to train someone to effectively handle a live-fire type of situation. “In comparison to law enforcement officers being trained, and the hours that they put in for training, and the hours that are required by this licensing; and then going on to the physiological effects of being in a stressful situation…at some point I would imagine under consideration of the legislature they are going to have to consider the exposure of those types of situations and how people are going to react. I think they have considered it to some extent and I think that’s the reason why they’re giving time to structure this particular law in a way that’s going to be sensitive to campuses all over Texas,” says Sergeant Brown.

The law, signed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, allows licensed Texans to carry guns in plain view.