Firearms don't belong in the classroom

I can see it now. At the beginning of each class, teachers will start off with the usual lines: "Cell phones off, log out of Facebook and gun safeties on."

According to a recent article from the Wall Street Journal, legislators in Texas have proposed measures that would allow college students and professors to carry concealed firearms on campus so long as they have the state permit to do so. Texas would be the second state — after Utah — to pass a bill of this nature. Several other states have considered similar legislation.

In 2009, the Missouri House of Representatives passed a bill that not only gave students and professors the right to carry concealed weapons onto campuses, but also lowered the minimum age at which a person is eligible to apply for a permit from 23 to 21. The bill, however, didn't make it past the Senate, and the age at which citizens can apply to carry a concealed weapon remains at 23.

Backers of the proposal in Texas believe this bill will help prevent incidents similar to the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007. In reality, though, is it really accurate to suggest that more guns will decrease the probability of such tragedies?

Supporters argue that by allowing concealed guns to be carried on campus, students and professors would be able to defend themselves in threatening situations. In theory, this almost sounds like a reasonable idea, but in reality, the average gun owner doesn't have the adequate training needed to appropriately respond in critical situations.

I do believe the people who go through the process of attaining the state-mandated permit necessary to carry a concealed weapon will be able to handle a gun without problem. I am, however, unconvinced that the minimum eight-hour training required to be licensed will be sufficient when faced with an emergency situation.

In an article on ABCNews.com, Colin Goddard, who was wounded in the Virginia Tech shootings, said the average student with a gun wouldn't likely be able to provide a timely defense. Goddard said, from his experience, that there wasn't enough time for him to understand what was going on, much less defend himself or others.

Even if a student carrying a weapon has the reflexes or the time to react in an emergency situation, who's to say they won't freeze up at the thought of actually shooting another person? A license to carry a weapon doesn't guarantee any person the mental preparation needed to take the life of another human being.

According to the ABCNews.com article, opponents of the bill aren't just focusing on potential shooting incidents. They also point out problems with guns and the everyday situations common throughout campuses. There are more risks when you consider college environments as a whole and not just the possibility of a crazed shooter.

Stress, drugs and alcohol are relatively common within college environments, and adding guns into this equation would only cause more harm than good.

Imagine how easy it would be for a random fight to quickly turn deadly if a gun was readily available. Typically, if a student were angered enough to consider shooting another person, they'd have to either go buy a gun or return to their house to retrieve it. This travel time might allow the student to cool down and consciously consider his actions. If, however, the student is licensed and able to carry his gun with him at all times, there is a greater chance for rash decisions and behaviors.

Sure, we can assume a gun owner with the proper permit might be above such irrational behavior and impulse reactions, but accidents can happen — even to the most skilled marksman. Take Dick Cheney for instance, the man was second in line to be president, and even he shot someone — by accident.

Aside from people shooting other people, having a weapon handy isn't suitable for college students because this is a period of time when anxiety and depression levels can soar. Answer me this: If there are colleges that have suicide-proof windows in dormitories, where is the sense in providing those students with a firearm?

Even if every student carried a gun to class, I think a person willing to commit mass murder would do so regardless of the possibility of being taken down themselves. The majority of shooters from past tragedies don't often seem too worried about their own well-being in the end.

Many other options could be considered and improved upon for the prevention of tragic shootings in academic environments, but allowing more guns on the premises isn't one of them. Allowing students to arm themselves for defense is, at best, a strategy for reaction, when a system for prevention would really be better for the greater good.