Should Students Carry Guns In Schools
Guns in classrooms? Yes. Guns at sporting events? No. The administrators use these as examples of places that will be marked armed and unarmed zones at the University of Texas. Fifty years ago the first mass shooting at an American college took place. The University of Texas experienced a mass shooting when a student shot 45 people, killing 14 of them, from the clock tower (Gubler). In the New York Times article “Philosophizing With Guns” Simone Gubler talks about the “campus carry” bill that will come into effect on the 50th anniversary for Texas colleges. This bill will allow students to carry guns with them, in certain areas, on campus. Gubler is uncertain about letting students carry guns on campus, and I have some of the same concerns about the situation.
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Guns on campus would enhance the likelihood of violence.
In the article “Philosophizing With Guns” Gubler argues that letting students bring guns onto campus would enhance the likelihood of suicide, domestic violence, assault and accidental discharge. Students that can openly carry guns to school will have more opportunities to cause violence. University administrators take into consideration that it would be better to have students carry guns into classrooms than to have them deposit them in lockers so they do not misfire. Gubler says, “So now, people who cannot be trusted to safely transfer their weapons to lockers will instead carry them into spaces of learning.” (Gubler). She is asking why are we allowing students that can not properly handle a gun carry them into heavily populated
areas.
Handguns causes apprehension within the classroom. Gubler argues
“We do not feel apprehension about the presence of strong people in spaces reserved for intellectual debate, but we do feel apprehension about the presence of a gun.” (Gubler). People become worried about the intentions of the gun, but people do not become worried about the intentions of a strong person in the classroom. Campus carry poses a threat to the classroom even if no one discharges their gun. Gubler says, “ It exists primarily as a tool for killing and maiming. Its presence tacitly relates the threat of physical harm.” (Gubler). Gubler is saying that guns were created to kill, and if we allow students to bring them onto campus we are allowing students to kill each other. Gubler gives an example of “ if I strap on my gun and head into a public space, I alter the quality of that space. I introduced an object that conveys an attitude in which people figure as things- as obstacles to be overcome, as items to be manipulated, as potential corpses.” (Gubler). A gun is an object that affects those around it, regardless of its wearer’s intentions.
Sensitive subjects should be avoided. Gubler says, “And perhaps, when we teach contemporary moral issues, we should avoid discussing abortion, race and gun rights.” (Gubler). In a slideshow that was prepared by the University of Houston, professors were counseled to “be careful in discussing sensitive topics; to drop certain topics from curriculum; not ‘go there’ if you sense anger…” Gubler argues “if we resolve that the most responsible thing to do under campus carry is to avoid topics that are likely to elicit strong feelings, then there is little point in continuing with the academic practice of philosophy.” (Gubler). Gubler is uncertain about letting students carry guns on campus, and I have some of the same concerns about the situation. Guns on campus could be a good and bad thing. Having guns on campus could cause more fatalities than it would stop, but at the same time having guns could stop mass shootings. Students may go out and buy a gun just to have it for protection even though they have no experience handling guns; students that have no experience with guns could accidentally misfire their guns. Students that do bring guns onto campus could help protect others when there’s an intruder in the building. Having guns on the campus could help with stopping an intruder before the cops arrive. Deciding to let guns onto campus is a tough decision.
Guns on campus would enhance the likelihood of violence.
In the article “Philosophizing With Guns” Gubler argues that letting students bring guns onto campus would enhance the likelihood of suicide, domestic violence, assault and accidental discharge. Students that can openly carry guns to school will have more opportunities to cause violence. University administrators take into consideration that it would be better to have students carry guns into classrooms than to have them deposit them in lockers so they do not misfire. Gubler says, “So now, people who cannot be trusted to safely transfer their weapons to lockers will instead carry them into spaces of learning.” (Gubler). She is asking why are we allowing students that can not properly handle a gun carry them into heavily populated
areas.
Handguns causes apprehension within the classroom. Gubler argues
“We do not feel apprehension about the presence of strong people in spaces reserved for intellectual debate, but we do feel apprehension about the presence of a gun.” (Gubler). People become worried about the intentions of the gun, but people do not become worried about the intentions of a strong person in the classroom. Campus carry poses a threat to the classroom even if no one discharges their gun. Gubler says, “ It exists primarily as a tool for killing and maiming. Its presence tacitly relates the threat of physical harm.” (Gubler). Gubler is saying that guns were created to kill, and if we allow students to bring them onto campus we are allowing students to kill each other. Gubler gives an example of “ if I strap on my gun and head into a public space, I alter the quality of that space. I introduced an object that conveys an attitude in which people figure as things- as obstacles to be overcome, as items to be manipulated, as potential corpses.” (Gubler). A gun is an object that affects those around it, regardless of its wearer’s intentions.
Sensitive subjects should be avoided. Gubler says, “And perhaps, when we teach contemporary moral issues, we should avoid discussing abortion, race and gun rights.” (Gubler). In a slideshow that was prepared by the University of Houston, professors were counseled to “be careful in discussing sensitive topics; to drop certain topics from curriculum; not ‘go there’ if you sense anger…” Gubler argues “if we resolve that the most responsible thing to do under campus carry is to avoid topics that are likely to elicit strong feelings, then there is little point in continuing with the academic practice of philosophy.” (Gubler). Gubler is uncertain about letting students carry guns on campus, and I have some of the same concerns about the situation. Guns on campus could be a good and bad thing. Having guns on campus could cause more fatalities than it would stop, but at the same time having guns could stop mass shootings. Students may go out and buy a gun just to have it for protection even though they have no experience handling guns; students that have no experience with guns could accidentally misfire their guns. Students that do bring guns onto campus could help protect others when there’s an intruder in the building. Having guns on the campus could help with stopping an intruder before the cops arrive. Deciding to let guns onto campus is a tough decision.