Running Head: CONCEALED CARRY ON PUBLIC UNIVERISTIES

Campus Carry Policy on Public Universities:

Bill 11
Faviola Segovia
University of North Texas

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The Second Amendment in the Constitution gives us the right to bear arms. What
occurred recently is the House Bill 910 passed. It allows open carry on any campus in Texas.
Obviously, there is a process which those that wish to carry must go through a background check
and have proof of proper certifications in order to receive the license. The issue here is now that
this law has passed the concern for campus safety policies must be updated and the security plan
for colleges must be reevaluated. With incidents that have involved school shootings, does the
campus plan for an event like this to happen or do they make it strict to carry? I will be looking
at the policy the University of North Texas currently uses, and then come up with a policy that
will address the concerned, satisfied and impatient perspective.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbot currently signed Senate Bill 11, which allows concealed carry or
better known as Campus Carry. This Bill allows concealed carry on any public university
campus, including UNT. Another law that is in place is Bill 910, which is open carry. This means
that one does not need to conceal a gun. It is legal to have ones gun visible. Just to set things
straight it is Bill 11 that is allowing guns on campus but they must be concealed. Bill 910 will
become a law in January 2016 and it wont apply to public universities.
One way of looking at this issue is by looking at it through the Theory of Paradox. What
this theory essentially does is, it looks at both the opposing side and the side that is for the issue.
The Theory of Paradox combines all views of the issue and tries to form a middle ground that
almost mirrors each view but incorporates a new view that can be accepted by everyone.
When talking about guns and how they play a topic of controversy when schools are
involved many voices and opinions are heard. It is a big topic because there are many negative
aspects about guns on campus, and there are positives that have been voiced and demonstrated.

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The voices or perspectives that will be mentioned in this paper about Bill 11 are the concerned
perspectives, the satisfied perspectives, and the impatient perspectives.
The concerned perspective would say or mention, Allowing Bill 11, or Campus Carry,
will decrease the schools safety and the chances of a school shooting to occur will increase. This
perspective represents the negative aspects of this issue. I can understand why the concerned
perspective would think that Bill 11 will increase the chances of a school shooting and decrease
the schools safety because of the past school shootings like Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy
Hook and many more. Negating the fact that we do have the 2nd Amendment as citizens of the
United States and Bill 910, the concerned group would prefer to avoid guns on campus or any
public establishment all in all.
The satisfied perspective would represent the positive view of Bill 11. That perspective
would say, Having Bill11 pass would allow public establishments to have a plan of action
prepared and be ready to act in case of an incident like the school shootings mentioned above.
This would give local officials the authority to take the lead. It allows the 2nd Amendment to be
enforced and for those who have their proper license to exercise it if a situation would occur. The
satisfied perspective need to establish a new plan of action and make ensure that having campus
carry is a good thing, and it provides the schools more safety than harm.
The impatient perspective represents the combination of both and what society looks at
the issue right now. How the impatient perspectives would approach the issue is by saying, Let
the 2nd Amendment be exercised, it is our right to do so. This means we should be allowed to
carry on public establishment but lets be cautious, an emergency plan needs to be written and
drills should be performed monthly, and lastly there should be certain areas that safe-zones and

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guns or any weapon should be left in the vehicle or a check point would be there and anyone
carrying would leave their weapon locked up until they left the safe-zone.
This issues is an ongoing controversy because there are people who believe very much so
in their right to exercise 2nd Amendment and there are people who believe that gun use should be
controlled and the reason that there are so many public shootings is because guns are too
accessible. The fact that there are more and more school shootings and not enough talk about the
real issue. Politicians avoid the discussion because if they mention the wrong thing it could cost
them their position in the political campaigns. It is a white elephant in the room and it tends to
just sit there until a situation regarding a gun happens.
I think that in order to move forward with this issue and to accept what the constitution
says and what Bill 11 is allowing, is to educate the public. Guns do not lift themselves and go off
it is the person behind the gun that pulls the trigger. Those that are allowed to exercise Bill 11
have to take a rigorous certification exam and have experience or a certain amount of hours using
the gun. They must also use an identification system that allows the campus police to know that
they have a registered gun on campus and must carry their concealed handgun license whenever
the gun is present. Another important part that must be looked at is safe zones and revamped
security plans. I understand that UNT is in the process of revamping its policy and emergency
plan. Because this bill will not become law until August of 2016 the school has some time hear
all perspectives and find a middle ground to come up with a plan that keeps everyone safe, and
comfortable.

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Citations
Bogenschneider, K. (2014). Family policy matters: How policy making affects families and what
professionals can do. (3rd ed.) New York, NY: Routledge and Taylor & Francis.