Carry on campus

I may or may not conceal carry my firearm on campus, be it in the classroom, studying at the library, or walking through campus. I may or may not have been doing this for many months now. In my state, carrying on a college campus "shall not be a criminal act" but may subject one to be asked to leave. Sadly, same situation as you, I believe. If you're a student, you could be expelled. If you're an employee, fired.

It's a silly stupid legal game, until the law is changed.

I wouldn't say if I did, but CCWing on my campus is against state law. It is legal for me to keep a pistol in the truck, though, secured in a locked container.

If it's legal but just not allowed by University rules, then that's a much better situation than mine, although not as good as being both legal and in compliance with the rules of the university.

If you are going to do it, deep cover, best secure holster you can buy, tell no one. Leave nothing to chance.

Texas law allows you to possess a concealed handgun as long as you have a valid CHL license in the parking lot or other public place of a school but not inside the building itself or any other facility like a school sports stadium.

Get a copy of Texas's CHL laws at http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/crime_records/chl/relatedlaws.htm

If it's just administrative policy, it is really up to you. In similar circumstances described in your OP, most likely I would, however I'd probably use a deep-carry method that has as low a risk of "discovery" as possible (even an IWB holster might get hung up on something, especially when you're sitting in a desk in class).

And yea, check those laws. Looks like at least in-building, both of us are in the same boat. But here in Florida, I can't carry anywhere on campus (by law). It's pretty sad, but people who make these laws don't care. They love to see criminals and mass murderers run wild. Must be a sick pleasure for them.

Concealed.

If it's legal in your state and simply against policy, my outlook is concealed means concealed. Giving up my otherwise legal right and possible safety because of an idiotic school policy isn't going to happen. Of course they could kick me out if they so desired, but there are other schools to apply to if need be.

I felt pretty safe while on campus when I attended. However, there were occasions when I felt it was prudent to carry while traveling between points A and B on my way to and from night classes. On those occasions, there were not many, I did so. I did not have a permit and it was against school policy. I figured concealed meant concealed and I could explain it if I really did have to draw the weapon.

Concealed means concealed. However, as others have mentioned, in Texas, all academic buildings are off-limits for concealed carry, so you don't even need to make the decision. Of course, if you park nearby, you can leave a firearm in your car even on school property.

I guess you have to ask, whats more important, your life, or being a student at that particular school. fortunatly Utah has a state law requiring my college to allow carry on campus and in the dorms, but if it didn't, i would still legaly carry anyway. if worse comes to worse, im sure there are other school you could go to in the state if you giot caught. If you decide not to carry and worse comes to worse, you wont have to worry about going to school anyway.

Previous post presents a false dichotomy.

Not carrying a gun does not guarantee you will be attacked/mugged/murdered any more than carrying one guarantees that you won't.

That being said, I first got my CCW permit my senior year of college and chose not to carry for about two weeks. Then I realized that no one was noticing, that it was cool enough to wear substantial cover garments, and that there was no legal penalty for me to carry there. So I started carrying anyway.

Previous post presents a false dichotomy.

Not carrying a gun does not guarantee you will be attacked/mugged/murdered any more than carrying one guarantees that you won't.

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If you decide not to carry and worse comes to worse, you wont have to worry about going to school anyway.

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I'm not seeing it, he did qualify his statement.

sfc_mark said:

I'm not seeing it, he did qualify his statement.

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Valid qualification, I did not see that part. My response was to his statement that the decision was based on the question of which was more important, his life or going to that particular school

in Texas it is a FELONY to bring the firearm inside a school building. so this presents another paradox, why go to college only to risk becoming a felon?

you cannot legally carry a firearm on campus in Texas unless you are Texas Peace Officer, unless you do not intend on entering a campus building, in which, there is no use to attend lecture.

carry an alternative form of force - OC, flashlight, taser, and/or an edged weapon?

What state are you going to college in, and is is public of private university? If public, mostly you just need to worry about legal laws. For private universities, their 'policy' may be no firearms, but if you sign a student handbook or whatever, they can get you under some type of breach of contract since you signed a statement agreeing that you understand and will abide by their no firearm requirement. SMU has that in ours for the whole campus, so people who don't go here actually have more freedom to carry on campus than I do.

Assuming from his sidebar and the manner of his writin' that he is attending college in Texas, it is ILLEGAL (a felony) to carry in a school building.
On campus grounds is not illegal, but as one poster said, it's hard to attend classes without entering the building.
Also, although the grounds are not illegal, strictly speaking, it's a pretty forgone conclusion that you will be expelled if someone finds out you are carrying while on the grounds. This includes your vehicle if it is parked on campus.(Not that I would ever condone keeping a weapon in your vehicle in violation of school policy ).
As a side note, a fellow on this this forum recently reported being searched, including his vehicle, for visiting the website while at school, and being told on by other students.

A big pocket knife would be my choice, somthing big enough to do alot of damage but small enough to be concealed. Im not gonna say what college I go to but I carry a knife somtimes. especially when I walk around at night

The possibility of carrying a stun gun or pepper spray would be a good choice in my opinion. I know not many males like to carry either of those items, but with your situation they seem to be the best alternative to a firearm.

I had the same conundrum as the OP, carried in a fanny pack <yuck> for 2+ years, then went IWB under my shirt and jacket. That was OK until I got patted down during a CPR class. I didn't get expelled but it was a very near thing. Point is, things you don't expect really do happen. This is why we carry and why you need to be double sure of your concealment. If I was a student again I would have to go back to the pack.

C.

I was under the influence the majority of my time at college, so there were overriding rules.....