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TX school district allows teachers to carry guns
Story here.
Hat tip to reader Charles Oldfield....
3 Comments | Leave a comment
That seems fair. After all, the right to free association is as important as any other. A dorm room requires close association with at least one other, there should be provision for allowing those who choose not to associate with others,especially in private, such as a dorm room.
The same should be extended to those who do not wish to live with a smoker, for instance. Although, that is probably a moot point now as smoking is a popular boogey man that the majority agree is ok to abuse the practitioners thereof. But you get the point.
The obverse of this coin, is that the same degree of freedom of association should not apply strictly in a public venue. An unwilling associate of others in a public venue has the freedom of association by simply choosing not to be there. However, as we have seen in the last two decades, that is considered insufficient freedom, unless the persons to whom they object can denied access to the public venue. Laws have been passed usurping the liberties of certain popularly disfavored groups to do just that. That is wrong.
However, after the silly posturing Denton mentioned, the U of U has, I think, done the right thing, even if unwillingly.
The superintendent of schools in Tx under discussion has done something extraordinary by our now lowered standards. He has stood against the hysterical and taken a step that is sensible and beneficial to his students and teachers alike.
In today's society that is truly courageous.
Perhaps we should make known our support. You know he will be inundated with all types of attacks from the hysterical purveyors of fear and uunresisted victimhood. He will most probably need some encouragement.
I had to dig out my Tx CHL class legal handbook to look this up, but yeah, as long as the educational institution gives *written* permission, state law is ok with a CHL holder exercising his/her rights while on campus. State law defers to the internal policies of each individual educational institution, whether public or private--i.e. it's illegal unless said institution grants the "ok".
It is a step in the right direction, but I don't foresee university administrators in my home state following this school district's lead and doing the right thing, leaving me (a state employee at a state-supported university) effectively disarmed at work. I think they will have to be forced against their will by the state legislature to accept valid CHL holders wanting to exercise their right to carry...though of course this could only impact state-supported schools. Private educational institutions could probably still ban guns and probably would continue to do so (Rice University, etc). But it does give college students a wedge they can work with to pressure university administrators to issue written permission to let CHL holders exercise their rights on campus, citing this school district as an example.
Unfortunately where I work, librarians like myself are classified as "staff", and we are constantly reminded that the university is an "at will" employer who can terminate us for any reason. If I had faculty status with tenure, I might be more willing to speak out publicly and challenge my administration. But as things currently stand, I'll just keep sending checks to TSRA to lobby on my behalf.
A move in the right direction, but not the first place in the country teachers can carry concealed.
In Utah, they have had the right for quite a while. Any concealed carry permit holder can carry into any state owned Utah school.
University of Utah defied that law for a long time, until the legislature passed a law that specifically said, U of U, the law applies to you too. After some ridiculous posturing, the university finally came down firmly behind letting people who live in dorms choose not to room with someone with a permit and firearm.