Petition Articulating Opposition to Conceal and Carry on Campus

The Missouri General Assembly has proposed two bills permitting Conceal and Carry on public universities, allowing students to carry firearms on campus. This petition represents opposition to students with a conceal and carry being permitted to have a weapon on campus.

Allowing such a measure would pose significant risks to the safety of students, particularly those residing on campus. While the proponents of this measure claim it will enable students to defend themselves against active shooters, it is likely to worsen such situations. Other than the obvious risk for "friendly fire," law enforcement officers responding to active shooter incidents will be hindered in their duties if they must differentiate between harmful gunmen and good-intentioned vigilantes. In the unlikely event that an active shooter incident does occur on campus, it makes no sense to make the job of officers more difficult merely to allow untrained individuals to carry firearms.

Additionally, the high prevalence of mental health problems that are unquestionably present on college campuses make them a high-risk environment for the introduction of firearms. Whereas suicide is the leading cause of death among college students, increased presence of guns on campus will only make it easier for suicidal students to gain access to lethal weapons.