Students Oppose Campus Handguns

AUSTIN - A large group of students at UT walked out of class Thursday and marched to the State Capitol.
It was part of a protest against legislation that would allow guns on college campuses.

When morning classes at UT came to an end, some students called it a day. Katrina Polivka, a sophomore from Georgetown, skipped her accounting class to meet several of her friends at the Littlefield fountain. About 300. They are protesting legislation allowing people to carry guns on campus - if those people have a concealed-handgun permit.

"So think it is important we get our voices heard and we are rallying together to do that. Said Polivka.

The group marched off campus and headed down North Congress , straight toward the State Capitol. Each step, sending a clear message; at least thats what Houston History Major Anthony Franklyn is hoping.

"As people who would have to be around this, deal with concealed guns, thats something we do not want on our campus, said Franklyn.

The line stretched nearly two blocks. The march was scheduled for Thursday to make a strong point. It is 2 years since the shootings at Virginia Tech. When the group made it to the south steps a bell was rung in memory of those killed at Virginia Tech. John Woods rang the bell. He is a former tech student who now attends UT. Woods lost several friends two years ago.

"I got to about the 8th ring and I said, it is really only been 8? said Woods.

The bell sounded 32 times.

"You hear the number 32 and you dont realize how many people that is, said Woods.

But not everyone agrees the incident at Virginia Tech is an argument against guns on campus.
A small group came to the rally to support the idea.

"It is clear they are not thinking rationally, they are thinking out of fear, said Jonathan Shih, a Senior from Sugarland.

Paul Kleiman, a Freshman from Farmersville, believes those who are against the legislation do not understand how difficult it is to get a Concealed Handgun Permit.

"The kind of people who go off and get rifles and committee school shootings are not people who put in the hundreds of dollars, hours of time, weeks of paperwork, background checks it takes to get a concealed handgun license, said Kleiman.

If approved by State Lawmakers, and signed by the governor, this guns on campus rule would only apply to public universities. Private schools will still be able to keep them off.
 

Read more:

-Bill Would Allow Guns On Campus