Cops carrying guns do not belong in classroom

[Winterborn]

What a little girly man. At least the commentary is good on the website but still this guy has some issues.

http://media.www.wkuherald.com/media...-2750475.shtml


COMMENTARY: Guns have no place in classrooms
Brandon Wilson
Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: Opinion

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There are some things we as students never expect to see in a classroom. Things that are not a natural fit in that environment. I thought one of those things was a firearm of any kind. But, apparently I was wrong.

I was in a sociology class not long ago and noticed that an off-duty Bowling Green police officer was in the room. He was in his full uniform, including his utility belt, gun in holster.

Just thinking about it now, I am still in shock. A gun in a classroom! This is by far the dumbest thing I have seen as a Western student. There is no excuse for this. I do not care that he is an officer.

I was discussing this with some of my classmates and I am convinced that there is no logical reasoning for this officer to have his gun.

First of all, lets say he doesn't get out of class until 30 minutes before he is supposed to be at work. I don't care. If he can't find a place to lock his gun up until he is on duty, then he should reschedule his classes so that he gives himself more time.

Someone even argued that if something happened he could provide protection. Well, what if it happened to him? Now there is a gun in the room and anyone has access to it. If it were someone with a knife, then now the situation has become much more dangerous. God forbid it was a person with another gun, because now that person has more ammo.

This is a school. Have we all forgotten about what happens with guns in classrooms? I cannot think of one good thing that has happened with a gun in that environment, but a number of tragedies do come to mind.

The least of my concerns about this is that a gun in a classroom does not create the type of relaxed atmosphere that students desire in the classroom. There is no way that a gun will ever comfort me while I am trying to learn about Karl Marx's views on society.

And I am not even opposed to people owning guns. For all I care, an individual could own a fully automatic assault rifle and be using it for spotlighting herds of deer. As long as you keep it away from me in public settings, then fine.

This officer was obviously off duty at the time and did not have to be fully equipped. If he cannot arrange his work and school schedules in a more conducive way, then he should drop a class.

From what I understand, it's the law, not Western's policy, that says it's OK for an off-duty officer to carry his weapon if he chooses to do so. I understand the law, and I still disagree.

Our university buildings are supposed to be firearm-free. That rule should not change just because a person has a badge on their chest, unless they are there on official police business.

This was an idiotic sight to behold, and I never thought this was something I would ever have to write about. There was no excuse for this individual to be in possession of that firearm at that time. I do not care about any issues in this individual's personal life that might have made it a hindrance for him to have not brought his gun. Billy club, fine; pepper spray, fine; handcuffs, fine; but a firearm, no.

If I see this again I will have to address it with the department head. I pay my tuition to come to school here, and at the very least I should have the guarantee of a safe and relaxed study environment.

Simply put, under no circumstances should I ever see a gun in a classroom. Leave it behind. I do not care what you do with it, but do not bring it into a room full of people who are concentrated on achieving higher learning.

Brandon Wilson is a senior news/editorial journalism major from Nashville.

The opinions expressed in this commentary do not reflect the opinions of the Herald or the university.

[CCBlueMan]

Sometimes I wonder about people.

[CPDlife4ME]

What a wuss.

[DigitalFuzi0n]

What a shame. I don't suppose he realizes that WKU has a police force as well, and they have guns on campus and in classrooms. I'm fairly certain the school incidents he mentioned dealing with guns probably wouldn't have been as tragic as they were if there had been an armed officer in any of the classrooms.

[Whtwolf14]

What a dumb#$%.....

Sounds like he needs a girlfriend....

[DetSgt.]

I spent 6 year's getting 2 degree's while off duty and was armed for all of my classes. If I had to go into a class in uniform then I would also be armed. This guy is a real asswipe and need's to get a life. Like he can't concentrate because some LEO that would place his life in jeopardy for this asswipe is sitting in the same class room with him. GET REAL

[phantasm]

While in college there was an off duty court officer in one of my night classes. He carried his gun, in plain clothes, at least sometimes. It didn't bother me in the least. This was about 10 years ago, long before i was a cop.

[mxwelch]

I pay my tuition to come to school here, and at the very least I should have the guarantee of a safe and relaxed study environment.

I wonder who that jerkwad would look to if a badguy started shooting up the class?

I'm willing to be that if the officers attending this law school had been carrying then maybe another person would be alive now. This is kind of in my area.


Edited. Wikipedia is wrong as usual.

Better details except for the fact that it was a police officer who ran to his vehicle and retrieved a weapons and made the guy surrender. He wasn't tackled like the report says but gave up after he was confronted by the armed officer.
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/01/1...hool.shooting/

[hitnrun]

Glad to see a journalism major working so hard to keep the liberal medias' stigma alive.

[Super Six 5]

A police management class I took was taught by a Captain from a nearby department. He was always armed. I never heard anyone say they felt threatened by him.

At least this young man's opinion is not the majority as evidenced by the replies to his commentary.

[mxwelch]

I replied to it.:D We'll see if they post it.

[Stan Switek]

I have my shooter with me every night in class. No one will ever know... In reading the replies to his letter, the original writer was thoroughly flamed by his fellow students. Refreshing to say the least.

[highwayman]

I bet Brandon Wilson keeps his gun under the desk.

[RemyG]

This would be the same person that would jump to write an article about how there should be 1 or more officers in each classroom after someone pulls a gun in that said class, and the officer takes him down.

[CCBlueMan]

1) I wonder if he is worried for another reason . . . is he hiding something?



2) I remember even in grade school when the police would come in for D.A.R.E, they had their guns on them! It wasn't a big deal! Parents didn't flip out "OH MY GOD THEY HAD A GUN IN A SCHOOL!!!!" Shouldn't some one in college have a little more common sense? Or is his issue something else? (See #1 above)