(NCSL, p. 1)
Beyond these states, the NCSL indicates that there are 23 states which avail the discretion of this ban to individual colleges and universities. According to the NCSL, these states are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia. (NCSL, p. 1)
A third category exists for states of which Colorado is now a part. As the NCSL reports, "due to recent state legislation and court rulings, 5 states now have provisions allowing the carrying of concealed weapons on public postsecondary campuses. These states are Colorado, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin." (NCSL, p. 1)
Recommendations:
What is particularly troubling about the policy orientation of the five states identified directly here above is that there position represents a rising wave of reactionary gun advocacy initiatives. As students, educators and anti-violence activists have coalesced to condemn the proliferation of guns in our society, the gun lobby has descended on individual state legislatures to introduce laws that would make way for more gun-permissive university and college campuses. According to Jervis (2011), "this year, at least 14 states have introduced 35 bills that would allow students...
Meanwhile, two states, Maryland and Washington, have introduced bills to prohibit guns on campuses. None of the bills has passed so far." (Jervis, p. 1)
Both because some states have struggled to gain laws prohibiting guns on campus and so many others have attempted to create laws allowing for guns on campus, there is just cause for federal intervention. In the face of rising tension over highly visible and disturbing incidences of gun violence in schools, there are few compelling or rational arguments to justify a scenario in which campuses appear to welcome concealed weapons. Therefore, it should be incumbent upon the federal government to impose a nationwide ban on concealed weapons on college or university campuses. In the interests of creating higher learning environments which are safe, secure and free from the fear of violence, no permissiveness is justified where concealed weapons on campus are concerned.
Resources:
Frosch, D. (2012). University is Uneasy as Court Ruling Allows Guns on Campus. The New York Times.
Jervis, R. (2011). State Lawmakers Push for Guns on Campuses. USA Today.
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). (2012). Guns on…
