Abstract
This article addresses conceal and carry laws on higher education campuses as ethical and social dilemmas. The Second Amendment
reads, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear
Arms, shall not be infringed” (U. S. Const. amend. II 1791). Proponents for conceal and carry laws on college and university campuses often interpret the Second Amendment as an overarching
right to have weapons, regardless of location. Opponents of such legislation argue that allowing guns on campuses would be
a mistake and student safety can be addressed in other ways. Throughout the 2010–2011 legislative sessions Arizona and Texas
have been on the cusp of passing pro conceal and carry laws which would allow higher education students to carry weapons on
campus. Over two decades states have increased access to weapons, while most in the U.S. have sentiments against their neighbors
carrying arms (Kranz 2006). While the Second Amendment provides the right for individual to carry arms, higher education campuses are regarded as a
subset of the population, a space for maturing adults and not a place for concealed weapons.
reads, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear
Arms, shall not be infringed” (U. S. Const. amend. II 1791). Proponents for conceal and carry laws on college and university campuses often interpret the Second Amendment as an overarching
right to have weapons, regardless of location. Opponents of such legislation argue that allowing guns on campuses would be
a mistake and student safety can be addressed in other ways. Throughout the 2010–2011 legislative sessions Arizona and Texas
have been on the cusp of passing pro conceal and carry laws which would allow higher education students to carry weapons on
campus. Over two decades states have increased access to weapons, while most in the U.S. have sentiments against their neighbors
carrying arms (Kranz 2006). While the Second Amendment provides the right for individual to carry arms, higher education campuses are regarded as a
subset of the population, a space for maturing adults and not a place for concealed weapons.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-6
- DOI 10.1007/s10805-012-9161-8
- Authors
- Termika N. Smith, Montgomery, AL 36116, USA
- Journal Journal of Academic Ethics
- Online ISSN 1572-8544
- Print ISSN 1570-1727