Op-Ed: Should Bans Against Carrying Concealed Weapons Be Lifted On College Campuses?

[Editor's Note: In a recent article on the subject of concealed carry on college campuses, Marietta, OH Police Capt. Jeff Waite said he wouldn't have a problem with such a measure being implemented locally because it would give people an opportunity to defend themselves.

"I don't have a problem with anybody who is legally entitled to carry a gun to carry one and that would include (on) college campuses," he said. "It boils down to ... all you're doing is allowing people who are legally entitled to carry a gun to carry it to another area."]

by John Lott

Should permitted faculty and students have the right to carry a concealed handgun on college campuses? Right now once someone qualifies for a permit they can carry a concealed handgun with them virtually anywhere in a state except for a few designated gun-free zones. Prominent among those "protected" areas are universities and schools. Yet, twelve states, including two large ones, Texas and Florida, are currently engaged in the debate over whether to end these bans.

Florida and Idaho have legislative hearings scheduled for Wednesday. The Idaho House should be voting on the bill by the end of the week. Legislative committees in Arizona and Oklahoma have already passed bills. Texas is planning votes during the week of March 21st.

But are these changes dangerous? Would faculty and students pose a danger to others? Wouldn't police accidentally shoot permit holders who are trying to stop an attacker?

Fortunately, we don't need to speculate about what might happen. We actually already have a lot of evidence and experience from numerous campuses.

Seventy-one college campuses allow students with permits to carry concealed handguns, and many more let faculty carry, some for over a decade. But none -- absolutely none -- of these schools have experienced the type of harm predicted by opponents. Not a single permit holder on these campuses has been involved in a firearm accident or crime.

Click here to read the entire op-ed at FoxNews.com.