Pro's and Con's of Handguns on Campus
Tyler Sekine
Dr. Glenn Cope
Essay 3 Compare and Contrast
3/20/11
Handguns In The Classroom Over the past couple of years, the debate over whether or not handguns should be allowed on school campuses has exploded into a wide variety of opinions. Handguns are allowed in many other places, but should they really be brought into a learning environment? Many people are starting to voice their opinions over this topic due to the large increase of school shootings and suicides within recent years. “Since 1995, more than thirty students and teachers have been killed and approximately one hundred have been wounded as a result of shootings at American schools” (Egendorf). Letting students bring handguns onto campuses provides numerous risks and benefits for the safety of schools across the nation. Bringing more handguns onto campuses could potentially make matters even more dangerous. The early years of college tend to be the most unstable and violent ages in a person’s life. Many school officials believe that if students are allowed to bring handguns to school they could make irrational decisions and use their guns at inappropriate times. Some worried that students frustrated with a professor over a grade or upset over a breakup might act out with their weapon. College gun owners have been statistically proven by Harvard researchers to be highly irresponsible (The Case Against). Most teenagers and young adults tend to become angry easily and may decide to use their guns for the wrong reasons without taking their surroundings into consideration. With combustible materials in science labs and medical areas around campuses, firing a gun could produce consequences well beyond what someone would expect. These irrational reactions may cause more damage than they could prevent. Students with handguns cannot always stop deadly situations from happening. The students that commit mass shootings are usually suicidal and plan out their massacres beforehand. Other students
Dr. Glenn Cope
Essay 3 Compare and Contrast
3/20/11
Handguns In The Classroom Over the past couple of years, the debate over whether or not handguns should be allowed on school campuses has exploded into a wide variety of opinions. Handguns are allowed in many other places, but should they really be brought into a learning environment? Many people are starting to voice their opinions over this topic due to the large increase of school shootings and suicides within recent years. “Since 1995, more than thirty students and teachers have been killed and approximately one hundred have been wounded as a result of shootings at American schools” (Egendorf). Letting students bring handguns onto campuses provides numerous risks and benefits for the safety of schools across the nation. Bringing more handguns onto campuses could potentially make matters even more dangerous. The early years of college tend to be the most unstable and violent ages in a person’s life. Many school officials believe that if students are allowed to bring handguns to school they could make irrational decisions and use their guns at inappropriate times. Some worried that students frustrated with a professor over a grade or upset over a breakup might act out with their weapon. College gun owners have been statistically proven by Harvard researchers to be highly irresponsible (The Case Against). Most teenagers and young adults tend to become angry easily and may decide to use their guns for the wrong reasons without taking their surroundings into consideration. With combustible materials in science labs and medical areas around campuses, firing a gun could produce consequences well beyond what someone would expect. These irrational reactions may cause more damage than they could prevent. Students with handguns cannot always stop deadly situations from happening. The students that commit mass shootings are usually suicidal and plan out their massacres beforehand. Other students
Cited: Page “The Case Against Guns on Campus.” Keep Guns Off Campus. Brady Center. 2009 Web. 17 March 2011. Egendorf, Laura K. "Introduction." At Issue: School Shootings. Greenhaven Press. August 2004 Web. 9 March 2011. Lott, John. “Should Bans Against Carrying Concealed Weapons Be Lifted On College Campuses?” Fox News. Fox News. March 2011 Web. 20 March 2011.