By Juan Lazcano
As we know campus carry is now allowed in most, if not all, public universities in Texas. Beginning August 1, 2016, licensed handgun owners can carry their weapons on campus; however, the gun must be concealed.
According to proponents of the law, the purpose in passing this law is to try to make campuses safer, but it has . Even though the weapon must be concealed, some students and faculty are still apprehensive, given that it is impossible to determine what type of weapon someone is carrying, along with their intentions in doing so. Yet supporters of this law believe having people carry on campus can help officers in the case of an emergency.
“I think having people carry on campus is a brilliant idea because it helps out police officers on campus in case there is an active shooter on campus. It may also take first responders about ten to fifteen minutes for backup to arrive,” said Luis Reyna.
Among professors, there are mixed feelings about the law. the reason being that occasionally there are sensitive topics discussed in class which may offend an individual. In a worst case scenario, a person carrying their weapon may use it to commit a violent act.
Interestingly enough, concealed carry does not apply to the entire campus. There are some places on campus where you cannot carry a gun, which are called safe zones. Student Health Services, the Office of Student Counseling Services, and labs located in the Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Building are among the locations where concealed weapons are prohibited.
