Concealed Weapons

College: an educational institution or establishment. The safety of educational institutions is what makes it possible for young minds to grow and develop as they prepare to enter into the “real” world. Ever since the massively publicized Columbine High School shooting occurred, it is evident that this safety, and more importantly, the opportunity for the younger generations to work toward a better future, is endangered. When discussing the heated topic of what is best for school safety, many advocate that college students and faculty with gun permits should be allowed to carry a concealed weapon on campus as a source of self-protection in case of emergencies; however, it is important to consider the danger that guns pose on the many lives
According to the Washington Post, “evidence shows that right to carry laws are associated with an 8 percent increase in the incidence of aggravated assault (Ingraham).” This disproves the myth that more guns will result in less violence, therefore, concealed weapons on campus should not be allowed. In fact, there has been a “33 percent increase in aggravated assaults involving a firearm after the passage of right-to-carry laws (Ingraham).” More to the point, guns are rarely ever used for self-defense. According to FBI crime records, “there were 230 justifiable homicides involving a private citizen using a firearm in self-defense…In the same year, there were 8,275 firearm homicides (DeFilippis).” This reveals that even though guns are claimed to be used for self-defense, it is quite an uncommon occurrence that they are used for that purpose. More specifically, it exposes the truth that firearms are more commonly used in homicides than in self-defense cases. Thus, more guns actually means more violence. Consequently, if guns are allowed on campus, it will most likely result in a rise in the rate of violence on campus, not a
Even though there are training classes on how to shoot guns and shooting ranges where people can practice, shooting a gun in times of emergency can be quite difficult due to adrenaline. According to scientific studies, “a dump of adrenaline into the blood stream causes the Ciliary muscle in our eyes to relax, flattening the lens of the eyes, causing our ability to focus on close objects like gun sight, to be lost (“Slight Alignment”).” On one account, a veteran college police officer reports, “Training that our university and college police get is not nearly enough to make campuses safer (Wagoner).” This renounces the claim that students and staffs would be able to protect themselves from armed perpetrators if they were allowed to carry guns on campus. This is critical because if trained professionals struggle to do their jobs (stop offenders with a weapon) under pressure, what makes people think untrained individuals like students or teachers can? It clearly indicates that allowing guns on campus to individuals with permits will not guarantee the safety of college campuses any more than it does now, without concealed carry. Hence, guns should not be allowed on college campuses because shooting a gun under pressure requires specialized training or even more;