Giving Everyone a Gun is Not the Answer

With the rising number of college shootings throughout the United States, it is clear that our schools are not safe enough. The deaths of many college students due to recent violent attacks have ignited an old debate over whether or not guns should be allowed on campuses. I believe that guns are not a method of solving problems and allowing them on campuses would just lead to even more violence.

Schools are not as secure as they claim to be. About a month ago at Stephens County Middle School (SCMS) in Toccoa, Georgia, a police officer staged an attempt to carry out a school shooting. SCMS is a very new facility that prides itself in being a safe learning environment. In the officer’s experiment, he easily walked into the school through a side door that is left unlocked for special education purposes. He walked the halls freely without ever once being questioned. Had this not been staged many middle school students could have died that day. How secure does that make you feel?

The answer to this security situation is not to allow anyone and everyone to possess guns on campuses. Although it can be said that if someone had had a gun during the recent school shootings some deaths might have been prevented, it cannot be said that the daily drawbacks don’t outweigh this fact. Students would begin to use guns as self defense more often and more lives would begin to be lost. Also, people could get away with killings much more easily because they wouldn’t even have to hide their gun.

Although I do not believe everyone should be permitted to have guns on campus, I do think campus police should be armed. Campus police are on campus to protect us as a college and I believe having guns would allow them to better do this. I trust them to only use the guns in extreme situations. I do not, however, trust college student to use the same judgment and digression. I would hate for a drunken rage or escalated fight to end in a death because guns were so easily accessible.

Piedmont College administration is currently undergoing debate as to whether there should be an armed officer on campus. If the projected plan goes through, there will be two officers on duty at all times, one certified officer with a gun and one security officer. Personally I would feel safer if we had an armed officer on campus but I would be much more afraid if I knew students possessed guns.

It is sad that our society is even having this debate. It is upsetting to see the families of victims of violent attacks. Campuses should strive to do everything they can to keep students safe.