AMU Emergency Management Public Safety

Sunday Book Reviews–Concealed Guns in College Classrooms

On August 1st, 2016, [link url= “http://www.cbsnews.com/news/university-of-texas-to-allow-guns-in-classrooms/” title= “campuses of public universities in Texas“] are required to allow concealed-carry handguns in college classrooms. It’s difficult to find anyone willing to write about this that thinks it’s a good idea; most simply say: ‘Well, it’s the law, so we have to allow it.’

My postings for this week will concern themselves with the ramifications of allowing guns into classrooms, and the almost inevitable scenario of children shooting professors and other children over academic disagreements. It’s coming, folks. So I will start with a few books that outline the issues.

Books: Guns in Classrooms

[link url= “http://www.amazon.com/College-Crosshairs-Administrative-Perspective-Prevention-ebook/dp/B019FVVRQU/ref=sr_1_2_twi_kin_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456667102&sr=1-2&keywords=guns+on+campus” title= “College in the Crosshairs: An Administrative Perspective on the Prevention of Gun Violence“]

The book addresses concealed carry legislation and its impact on campus policies by state, examining the concerns of administrators as they discharge their duty of care to students and comply with legal and regulatory frameworks. Asking “Are our students developmentally ready to make a morally sophisticated, life-changing decision to use firearms in response to a real or perceived threat?”, it offers important perspectives and scientific data, so far absent from the debate, to shape the ongoing conversation with lawmakers and the public about what it takes to keep college communities safe. (review courtesy of Amazon.com)

[link url= “http://www.amazon.com/Politics-Gun-Control-Robert-Spitzer-ebook/dp/B0184CBKG8/ref=sr_1_7_twi_kin_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456668501&sr=1-7&keywords=guns+on+campus” title= “Politics of Gun Control“]

The new edition of this classic text covers the latest developments in American gun policy, including shooting incidents plaguing the American landscape – especially Sandy Hook, the Colorado theatre shootings and the tragic death of Trayvon Martin – placing them in context with similar recent events. The incidents described in the book sparked a wave of gun control legislation at local, state and national levels, some of which was successful, some doomed and all controversial. … This sixth edition of The Politics of Gun Control provides the reader with up-to-date data and coverage of gun ownership, gun deaths, school shootings, border patrols and new topics including social media, stand-your-ground laws, magazine regulation, and shooting-related mental health initiatives. (review courtesy of Amazon.com)

[link url= “http://www.amazon.com/Enough-Perspective-Preparedness-Response-Publication/dp/1579224431/ref=sr_1_21?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456669375&sr=1-21&keywords=guns+on+campus” title= “Enough is Enough: A Student Affairs Perspective on Preparedness and Response to a Campus Shooting“]

This book presents first-hand accounts and experienced counsel from professionals who have lived through a violent incident, and continue to deal with its aftermath. They cover violence, suicide prevention, and mental health promotion in an integrated way, and offer a comprehensive plan to create a campus-wide system for collecting information about students at-risk for self-harm or violence toward others. (review courtesy of Amazon.com)

[link url= “http://www.amazon.com/There-Gunman-Campus-Tragedy-Virginia/dp/0742561305/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456669586&sr=1-12&keywords=guns+on+campus” title= “There is a Gunman on Campus: Tragedy & Terror at Virginia Tech“]

The contributors to this insightful and compelling volume preserve and deepen our memory of April 16th. Many of the authors are distinguished men and women of letters, and some were on the Virginia Tech campus the day when the shots rang out. From the psychology of the shooter to the role of media in covering the event to parallels to other American tragedies such as Columbine, the chapters constitute an incisive portrait of early 21st century America. (review courtesy of Amazon.com)

(Note: EDM Digest does not endorse Amazon.com)

In the month of February 2016 alone, there have been [link url=”http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/mass-shooting” title=”23 mass shootings in the U.S.“] that have claimed at least 34 lives. So read up. If gun carry laws continue to become the rage, then rage will be coming to a school near you.

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