Essay Example on Guns in Colleges: Impact on Learning & Security

The college campuses are among the safest places in the United States. The use of guns in schools will either affect learning positively or negatively. Since gun control has proven to be an ineffective strategy of preventing violence, the use of concealed firearms cannot stop violence among people. Facilitators and students who are committed to education will have a fear of expressing their ideas in classrooms due to heat caused by the presence of guns in the school. Allowing guns in colleges will increase the risk of aggression among students. For example, guns in the classrooms might hinder debates, which is a vital learning component in colleges. Reputations of either a person, institution or management take too much time to build and a less time to destroy. This act will affect both the national and international reputation of most universities in the United States. Therefore, due to the various issues thought to be brought by allowing guns in colleges, this paper will respond to the statement if allowing guns in colleges will make them safer.

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The headlines which appeared in the United States newspapers indicated that American colleges were becoming dangerous to both the faculty and students. Policies were developed to respond to the headlines that hit the Americans. The policy narrative either stated that campus violence could be controlled by increasing the number of persons with firearms or banning the presence of arms in colleges (Robert 2013). The gun-rights advocates tend to differ with the students and law enforcement personnel who state that introducing concealed guns on colleges poses a risk to both the faculty and students. Also, law enforcement persons reported that the presence of firearms could not prevent future attacks, and it can cause confusion whenever there are emergency cases (Robert 2013). The presence of guns among the students allows for personal protection where the criminals can fail to use weapons when they believe that students or school personnel are armed. Therefore, school persons should be responsible for developing policies that promote security in colleges and prevent criminal attacks.

Consequently, the academic autonomy advocates state that institution can develop policies which promote campus security and learning. The presence of firearms among the students can instill paranoia and fear in schools as no one knows the possibility of their schoolmates pilling a gun whenever a dispute arises. Also, carrying guns in schools can make college security an issue determined by the untrained persons taking legal authority into their own hands. The lawmakers in the United States came up with different proposes, but there were controversies on the bill to allow citizens to carry concealed guns in colleges (Dickerson 2012). After lengthy discussions in the parliamentary seating, Utah adopted the policy while other states rejected it. Therefore, the policy was rejected in most countries since individuals on campuses prefer novelty, physical activities, exhibit undetermined planning and judgment, and they tend to seek the impulsive and risk behaviors.

The presence of concealed guns in colleges has a couple of pros and cons. For example, individuals with concealed firearms are responsible, and they have the right to protect themselves against criminals. The violent criminals in the United States own guns, thus terrorizing others on streets, institutions, and homes. The concealed firearm carriers have the sense of being safe whenever they are going out at night (Burnett 6). In most studies, females state that having concealed guns can protect them from assault and robbery. Therefore, college students are encouraged to possess firearms as they make them safer.

On the other hand, having concealed guns in colleges have lots of disadvantages ranging from fear to aggression among students. The presence of concealed weapons in colleges increases confrontation, which ends up turning lethal. During an assault or crime, individuals with guns are at a higher risk of being shot compared to those without the firearms. Also, members of the public who are allowed to own arms tend to use them whenever there is a disagreement in traffic, bars, or sporting events. According to the University Chancellor (2015), the use of firearms instills fear among students, thus increasing the rate of aggression among them. Guns affect the debates held in schools since students might differ in their opinions, thus increasing the chances of harming others. Therefore, the second amendment puts limits on the use of concealed arms in colleges due to the risks which are posed whenever students carry them in school.

Therefore, since the cons outweigh the pros of allowing firearms in colleges, the presence of guns does not improve safety on campuses. The policies developed by legislative authorities stated that the presence of weapons in colleges might hinder the learning and safety of other students. Also, despite personal safety, guns among the students or college stakeholders instill fear as they promote aggression among students. Therefore, to ensure safety in schools, firearms should only be allowed to the security personnel but not the students.

Works Cited

"Guns On Texas Campuses Won't Make Them Safer, University Chancellor Says." Morning Edition, 5 June 2015. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 9 July 2015. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/TREVOR/Downloads/CON%20Guns%20On%20Texas%20Campuses%20Wont%20Make%20Them%20Safer%20(1).pdf

Burnett, David." Students Should Have the Right to Carry Guns on College Campus." Guns and Crime.2012, 1-8.

Dickerson, Darby. "Students Should Not Be Allowed to Carry Guns on College Campuses." Guns and Crime. Ed. Christine Watkins. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012.

Robert, Birnbaum. Ready, Fire, Aim The College Campus Gun Fight. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning. 2013