America, home of the brave, land of the free to carry a gun to class. To be an American, you have to sport the red white and blue, have a pet eagle and have a love for your sidearms, right? House Bill 2519 moved through legislation and has been the talk of the town in Morgantown, the home of West Virginia University. This bill will allow those with a concealed carry license to bring their concealed weapon onto campus.
The campus hosted a couple ‘Campus Conversations’ with more to come on the 28th allowing members of the university including faculty and students to voice their opinions in an open forum. Many of the opposing arguments against the bill rely on the superstitions of not just West Virginians but college students.
The typical WV stereotype being a hillbilly country hick who will never give up their guns hill or high water and the reckless attitudes of your typical college students surrounded by drugs and alcohol. Introducing a gun into the mix scares some people as they would feel unsafe or uncomfortable with firearms in the supposed safe space college classrooms present.
Funny how they won’t allow firearms in the capitol but they’ll allow it on college campuses where there are plenty of irresponsible students abusing drugs and alcohol. #HB2519 pic.twitter.com/rRg2xvUuU4
— Bryce Krispies Treat (@bryce_dale97) February 26, 2019
Other universities have already had this sort of bill go into effect on their campus, like at the University of Texas in Austin. In June of 2015, the governor signed the bill into law allowing the guns on campus around the 50th anniversary of the U.T. Tower massacre. After the bill went into place, shell casings were found in some of the buildings by Peace Zone signs posted by a professor.
Not sure how to read this shell casing & note someone left on a bulletin board in my building here on campus. pic.twitter.com/0OxntQZw0t
— Casey Boyle (@caseyboyle) September 16, 2016
Other consequences of their bill passing were some teachers refused to speak at the university or take a position.
“Faculty members have generally opposed campus carry because they suspect that allowing guns in the classroom will hinder our ability to teach about controversial subjects”-Minkah Makalani, Associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin
The topic of guns has many complexities, including finance, safety, and the politics of the second amendment. The Parkland shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School made onlookers more vocal about their opinions because the students had platforms to share their experience. They were at an age where they could live tweet the shooting unlike students from previous shootings.
The real question with #HB2519 is are they going to provide RA’s bulletproof vests? If they have to scan in students at night, will they get the proper protection? How much is that going to cost?
— savannah (@annesnatchaway) February 25, 2019
The students of WVU penned an open letter that more than 150 students and faculty signed off on, stating their disapproval of the bill.
“At anywhere from $10 million to $11.5 million, the cost of this legislation could fund a full year’s worth of WVU tuition for nearly 1,300 West Virginia high school seniors. Or with that money, we could fund more than 300 West Virginia first-generation students for the entirety of their undergraduate degrees.”
One reason found to enforce the bill is that it would actually restrict gun laws on campus as of now there are no legal repercussions for carrying on campus, with or without a permit.
Only 16 of 50 states completely ban a concealed weapon on campus and in 23, each campus is allowed to make the decision university by university. After a vote 59-41 Wednesday night after more than three hours of debate, it now moves to the Senate.
Dead On Campus 
If you don’t like firearms, move to England.
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