Disadvantages of Allowing Firearms on Campuses

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Firearm mortality and morbidity is a serious concern in the public sector as it has significant impacts to the society (Carlson, 2002). The concept of allowing students to carry guns while in colleges has been the subject of debate in the recent times, though the majority of the campus students are not in favor of this idea. A number of incidences like the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007 have prompted the need to allow students' posses' guns while colleges (Lott, 2003). However, this idea has proved to a serious challenge as the disadvantages still overweigh its advantages (Lott, 2003).
Allowing students to carry guns while in the institution can lead to potentially harmful situation. Institutions are characterized by carrying of academic files and documents, giving the students the consent to have guns will make the colleges look like they are military camps and or police stations (LaPoint, 2009). It will seriously detract the institutions from the usual learning environment as it will bring an extra concern on the safety of the college community (Reaves, 2008).
A serious concern in allowing students to have guns is their level of training. While police officers usually undergo serious and extensive training which allows them to acquire knowledge and skills necessary to handle criminals in this aspect, they are also able to use this machines appropriately which makes it free of any errors (Sulkowski, 2011). Students are learners; their main concern is the academic work that they are taught in their various institutions. It, therefore, means that with training on how to use this machine. The knowledge that they will get will not be sufficient to allow them handle any eventualities and criminals in the most efficient way as they al...

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...ter Lang Publishing.

Halbrook, S. (1984). That every man is armed: The evolution of a constitutional right. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.

LaPoint, L. (2009). “The up and down battle for concealed carry at public universities”, Journal of Student Affairs, 19, 17-24.

Lott, J. (2003). The bias against guns: Why almost everything you heard about gun control is wrong. Washington, DC: Regnery.

Reaves, B. (2008). Campus law enforcement. Washington, DC: U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Sulkowski, M. (2011). “Contemporary responses to violent attacks on college campuses”, Journal of School Violence, 10: 338-354.

http://www.cengagebrain.com/blog/2013/01/gun-rights-on-college-campuses-pros-cons-and-what-state-law-says/

http://townhall254.gregabbott.com/topic/allow-chl-holders-carry-weapons-campus-institutions-higher-education/

www.keepgunsoffcampus.com

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