2008 Woodie Awards
Concealed weapons on GSC campus?
924170651@gsc.edu
Caitlin O'Dell
Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: News
The Second Amendment of our Constitution has been hotly debated in households, businesses and classrooms. The arguments rage on and on, especially over names like Virginia Tech and Columbine.
If students and teachers were allowed to carry concealed weapons, potential shooters could be shot and the assault over quickly. But if no one carried weapons except police officers, there would be no pressure on students and teachers to be afraid of who is carrying guns and who is responsible for protecting everyone else.
What about Gainesville State College?
"Our security guards will not be armed," said Richard Goodson, director of public safety at GSC. "They are the eyes and ears of the Public Safety Department and are charged with the responsibility to over watch the campus and to call the proper enforcement entity if necessary."
The security guards are mainly here to "provide service related duties like parking enforcement, unlocking buildings and classrooms, unlocking locked vehicles for students who have locked their keys in their vehicles and jumpstarting vehicles," Goodson explained.
"At this point in time students, faculty and staff are not allowed to carry weapons on campus at any time unless it is approved through Public Safety and is for a legitimate educational function," said Goodson.
An example of a legitimate educational function, he added, is a history professor teaching on the Revolutionary War and bringing a musket from the era to show the class. The professor must notify public safety, have the weapon unloaded and must carry it in a nonthreatening or concealed way. The community would be notified in advance so anyone seeing the weapon for the first time would not be too alarmed.
The only people who are allowed to carry weapons as of now are the police officers.
"The police officers will be armed for the protection of our students," said Goodson. "They will carry a .40 Caliber semi-automatic pistol that most law enforcement agencies carry now.
If students and teachers were allowed to carry concealed weapons, potential shooters could be shot and the assault over quickly. But if no one carried weapons except police officers, there would be no pressure on students and teachers to be afraid of who is carrying guns and who is responsible for protecting everyone else.
What about Gainesville State College?
"Our security guards will not be armed," said Richard Goodson, director of public safety at GSC. "They are the eyes and ears of the Public Safety Department and are charged with the responsibility to over watch the campus and to call the proper enforcement entity if necessary."
The security guards are mainly here to "provide service related duties like parking enforcement, unlocking buildings and classrooms, unlocking locked vehicles for students who have locked their keys in their vehicles and jumpstarting vehicles," Goodson explained.
"At this point in time students, faculty and staff are not allowed to carry weapons on campus at any time unless it is approved through Public Safety and is for a legitimate educational function," said Goodson.
An example of a legitimate educational function, he added, is a history professor teaching on the Revolutionary War and bringing a musket from the era to show the class. The professor must notify public safety, have the weapon unloaded and must carry it in a nonthreatening or concealed way. The community would be notified in advance so anyone seeing the weapon for the first time would not be too alarmed.
The only people who are allowed to carry weapons as of now are the police officers.
"The police officers will be armed for the protection of our students," said Goodson. "They will carry a .40 Caliber semi-automatic pistol that most law enforcement agencies carry now.
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