In light of recent campus shootings, legislators and educators in Oklahoma are discussing the
role of guns in campus safety.
Oklahoma House Bill 2513 passed the house yesterday, and moves on to the Oklahoma Senate, according to a report in
The Oklahoman. This bill has been amended to allow certain faculty to carry guns and:
...would restrict eligibility to students and faculty members who are active military members; or were honorably discharged from the military, National Guard or Reserves; or had received at least 72 hours of training from the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training, the agency that trains Oklahoma law officers.
To get a concealed handgun permit, persons must be at least 21 and have had training in the use of handguns.
Many educators are opposed to the proposed legislation.
Mike Shelton (D-OKC):
The leadership of every college in the state is against this bill, yet the House has voted against the wishes of the individuals with the most knowledge about campus safety. I believe families, faced with the prospect of a gun-toting campus, will choose to send their children elsewhere, particularly out-of-state students who would otherwise come to Oklahoma.
We would like to know what OKPNS readers think.
Labels: Gun Bill, Polls
Posted at 3/14/2008 12:00:00 PM
