Essay Sample on Guns on College Campuses

Since 1970, 1,316 school shootings have occurred in the US and the number continues to increase. Since the statistics of school shootings gradually become more shocking, effective gun laws are important to put in place. Gun legislation is especially important regarding the safety on college campuses. Though schools are constantly working to improve safety, gun laws and their effectiveness have numerous factors which are not often discussed. There are both advantages and disadvantages to controlling gun purchase and usage, but safety continues to be the foremost priority.

As mentioned prior, 1,316 school shootings have taken place since 1970. 2021 accounts for 31 of those shootings, 23 of which have occurred since August 1 (edweek.org). There are many unknowns and uncertainties regarding why school shootings occur, but their overall effect leads to individuals feeling unsafe. Given the current circumstances, gun laws have become a controversial and difficult situation for Americans. “Currently states have significant freedom to determine whether guns are permitted on college campuses. Some allow guns, some allow weapons in only certain areas, and others ban guns completely” (Birnbaum, 2013). In South Dakota, once an individual turns 18, it is legal for him/her to open-carry a gun in the open without needing a permit (Summary of South Dakota Gun Laws). Along with South Dakota, other states, such as North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and 17 others also do not require a permit to open-carry. Due to permitless carrying, many dangers can arise on campuses, as more students and staff have increased availability or access to a gun. In addition, guns stored within a home can also pose an increased risk. Some parents state that their children do not know where a gun is located, but factually, “39% of parents wrongly believe children don’t know where a gun is stored” (Sandy Hook Promise). It is estimated that, 4.6 million children and teens in America have at least one firearm that is unlocked and loaded in their homes (Sandy Hook Promise). This would be around 1,794,000 children and teens. Given the easy access children have to their parents’ firearms, especially without proper training, school shootings are more likely than they would be otherwise. 

In contrast to the twenty-one states with open-carry laws, seventeen other states have put Extreme Risk laws in place. Most of these laws were passed after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which occurred in February of 2018. This shooting killed seventeen people and injured seventeen others. This event became known as the deadliest shooting that has occurred at a high school in United States history (history.com). According to History.com, Nikolas Cruz legally purchased an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and opened fire in the school around 2:19 pm. In under two minutes, Cruz killed eleven and injured thirteen. Not even two minutes later, Cruz fired at and killed six more individuals and injured four more within 45 seconds. In just under four minutes, the attack was concluded. Cruz ditched the firearm in a nearby stairwell and tried to blend in with the escaping students and staff, but he was then apprehended after being spotted by a county police officer. Less than six weeks after the life-changing event, students organized the March for Our Lives to protest gun violence and demand legislative changes. Even though Florida is one of the five states to prohibit open carrying, Cruz changed the lives of many, and encouraged other states to also try and forbid open carry as well.

Another school shooting that has greatly influenced safety was the Virginia Tech Shooting. This shooting occurred in April of 2006 in Blacksburg, Virginia. Thirty-two individuals, twenty-seven students and five faculty members were killed during the massacre (History.com). “[The shooter was] armed with a 9-millimeter handgun, a 22-caliber handgun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition” (History.com). Roughly ten minutes after the attack was initiated, the shooter, Seung-Hui Cho, died from suicide after shooting himself. Kristina Anderson was one of the victims who survived to share her story and her perspective for how safety on college campuses had been changed forever. Anderson was shot in her back twice and once through her toe. After her traumatic experience, Anderson became a co-founder for an app called LiveSafe. The purpose of LiveSafe is for users to be able to report anything unsafe to law enforcement. LiveSafe was made in hopes of creating “greater communication about potential risks and threats before they become serious of dangerous” (US News). After the Virginia Tech massacre, great advancements were made all around the country. Nearly 280 safety recommendations were made in a safety report following the attack. The Virginia Tech massacre may have changed lives traumatically, but it also changed campus safety.

 “Students for Concealed Carry” is an article which contains students’ reasonings on why they do not want open carry to be allowed on college campuses. Also included in this article are returns and arguments to the students’ opinions. According to the article, “It’s possible a gun might go off by accident” (Students for Concealed Carry). This statement is likely true, but it is rare that such an occurrence happens. As of 2018, only seven incidents of accidental gunfire of this nature have been documented. One such example occurred in September of 2014. A professor at Idaho State University was fidgeting with a gun, which was secured in his pocket. The gun was accidentally fired, at which point the professor shot himself in the foot. This incident, along with the six others, seemed to have been caused by treatment of unholstered handguns. All seven occurred at open-carry colleges (Students for Concealed Carry). Therefore, none of these guns were illegally brought onto campus, but still injured some individuals. 

There are some advantages to allowing open carrying on college campuses. According to ConnectUs, “Concealed carry allows for a faster response during an emergency situation.” If there is a school shooter, sometimes first responders cannot get to the school before fatalities occur. To defend themselves, it may be necessary for students to have a weapon on hand to stop the altercation before too many injuries occur. There are other advantages, but quick response to violent situations may be the most important.

While there are advantages to gun ownership, there are also disadvantages to allowing guns on campus. For example, concealed carry may lead to an increased number of crimes. According to ConnectUs, some states, after allowing open carry, saw a 2% increase in homicide rates and a 9% increase in aggravated assault, robbery, and rape. Crimes of this nature can be an immense issue on college campuses. Allowing guns on campus can lead criminality and allow students to cause harm to others. Since safety is a high priority for schools, most colleges ban firearms in an attempt to decrease the amount of harm that can be done. 

To conclude, there are several different advantages and disadvantages to why gun laws should or should not be enacted on college campuses. Although negligence and recklessness are rare, there is still the possibility of accidents. At the same time, it is sometimes beneficial for a person to have a gun nearby for self-defense. While the number of school shootings and violent acts on American campuses in the United States has increased since 1970, there are still important policies being put in place regarding the safety students and faculty today. Since these policies exist, the question now becomes simple: What can Americans do about gun violence going forward?