"Guns on Campus: A Chilling Effect" by Kenneth M. Mash (NEA, Thought & Action)

[petronius]

36. Not convoluted at all - as I said in the OP, concerns about CCW on campus

seem to be based on unsupported assumptions about how CCW holders behave in public as well as some misapprehensions about what the university environment is really like. What's convoluted is the idea that a purely private act would be a distraction, when that hypothetical distraction isn't occurring anywhere else that the private act is allowed. I base my logic on the following points:

• People are already carrying in other places without causing a disruption or having a chilling effect, and there's no reason that would be different on campus.
• The students who would have the ability to carry on campus are already on campus (albeit leaving their firearms behind). They're apparently not creating a chilling violent ruckus now, so why would they suddenly start to if allowed to carry?
• As stressful as college may be, classroom discussions are not generally violent events - if students aren't throwing chairs and punches now, why expect that they'd throw bullets?
• Students who hypothetically would be discomfited by the possible presence of a CCWer are likely already around CCWers off-campus, yet that knowledge does not seem to cause any disruption off-campus.

All of these points suggest to me that there is no real reason to treat campuses differently than anywhere else in the matter of CCW permittees. If it's allowed elsewhere without a problem, it should be allowed on campus. As far as I can tell, the argument against campus-carry (and CCW in general) boils down to a matter of personal opinion. It's fine to think that CCW is distasteful or worse - but that dislike doesn't and shouldn't carry any weight in how the law limits or restricts the choices of others.

"Qualified" means 'eligible; conforming to predefined criteria; meeting a relevant standard.' I've given my opinion elsewhere, but I think CCW should be shall-issue with a comprehensive (i.e. non-trivial) training requirement. It should not be a 'library card,' and those with the legal privilege to carry in public should in fact meet a reasonable standard. A qualification, in other words, that would be just as applicable on campus as off. (And while I'm not a Texan, what I've read about that state's system makes me think you might be underestimating the requirements there.)

I should make clear that I'm referring to public schools here. Private school administrators should be allowed to set whatever rules they want in this regard, but public universities should remain as aligned as possible with the rest of the public sphere. Absent a compelling reason to treat campuses differently - which does not exist in this case, beyond some unfounded fears - the campus should allow individuals to make their own choice in the matter (in accordance with state/federal laws)...