Valdosta State University | 1500 North Patterson Street | Valdosta, Georgia | 31698

Thursday, May 24, 2012

VSU Strives To Keep Guns Off Campus

Earlier this year, Georgia House Representative Sean Jergunson proposed House Bill 981. This bill would allow concealed handguns onto the campuses of public and private elementary, middle and high schools, as well as post secondary institutions. Although the bill did not pass, on May 17, 2012, the faculty and senate at Valdosta State University (VSU) have taken on a new resolution to declare their opposition of the bill and to keep all concealed handguns away from their campus.

Those following the faculty and senate’s decision are Dr. Michael G. Noll, associate professor of geography, and Kathryn Grant, a senior at VSU. Dr. Noll was the one who introduced the resolution of joining the Campaign to Keep Guns off Campus. Kathryn Grant, also zealous about the idea, has researched gun legislation in Georgia since 2010.

With the encouragement from VSU’s decision to join the campaign, the campaign’s director, Andy Pelosi, is hoping other schools may join the battle of keeping weapons off campus. Pelosi hopes others will speak out against the bill because the battle is not yet over. He believes it will be amended and back next year.

As young adults we may not fully understand the potential danger we could put others in, especially if we are not fully aware of the responsibilities of carrying a handgun. School is supposed to be a safe environment, a place where parents trust that their children will be protected. By allowing guns on campus you are revoking students of their own security.

Thanks to Dr. Michael G. Noll and Kathryn Grant, VSU has successfully kept their campus a safe institution and may incite other campuses to do the same.

By: Morgan McFarland (VSU)
Press & Publicity Coordinator

2 comments:

  1. You actually are kidding right. Tell us how exactly legal concealed carry would jeopardize safety? Conversely, how would barring concealed carry improve safety, remembering VA Tech?

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  2. I believe people are fooled by the state of a gun being legal or concealed. Just because it is legal or concealed doesn't mean the young adults on campus are mature enough, or fully understand the seriousness, to carry a security device that can be fatal. I believe this was a mature decision of the school if they where looking at the campus as a whole.

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