A federal judge has denied three University of Texas at Austin professors’ initial attempt to keep guns out of their classrooms under the state’s campus carry law.
U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel ruled that the professors, who had sought a preliminary injunction to block implementation of the law, had failed to establish their likelihood for success. UT students resume classes on Wednesday, and the professors’ case will continue to work its way through the court while the law remains in effect.
The professors, Jennifer Lynn Glass, Lisa Moore and Mia Carter, filed their lawsuit against the university and the attorney general’s office. In the suit, the professors said the possibility of guns on campus could stifle class discussion in their courses, which touch on emotional issues like gay rights and abortion. They argued that was a violation of students’ First Amendment right to free speech.
[…]
In an e-mail, Renea Hicks, the lawyer for the professors, said he was “disappointed” by the decision.
“We’ll just have to pull together more facts for trial and hope things go smoothly on campus in the meantime,” he said. “Sometimes, public policies are so terrible and extreme that it takes the law and courts a little while to catch up.”
See here, here, and here for the background, and here for the judge’s order. On the bright side, the lawsuit wasn’t dismissed, at least not yet. As I’ve said before, I would not bet my own money on the plaintiffs ultimately prevailing on this one.
The plaintiffs on this case are wimpy idiots who don’t deserve to be be college professors. Anyone with a license to carry will be at least 21, and have undergone a thorough background check. LTC holders are the most law abiding segment of the population, if you believe the DPS statistics.
If the plaintiffs want to be concerned, they should worry about the unlicensed person who ignores the law and carries illegally.
Ross,
How many law abiding LTC persons have been shot or killed accidentally?
Is there any restriction on stupid people being allowed to be LTC?
I haven’t seen any stats on LTC folks getting shot, but it is likely a very small number.
Getting a license requires taking a class and passing tests, plus spending the money for the class and the license. You have to be reasonably sharp and motivated to do that.
I am less afraid of getting shot by an LTC holder than I am of getting shot by a law enforcement officer, many of whom, in my experience, are awful at marksmanship and gun handling.
@ Brad:
To paraphrase HRC, what difference does it make to you, or to those activist professors, how many LTC folks have been shot? The thing that should matter to you (and the professors) is, how many innocent people have LTC people gunned down? I’m guessing none is about right.
As to the second question, if you are saying that a kid who got accepted to UT might be stupid, then what does that say about the UT admissions process? Maybe top 10% or affirmative action policies have unintended consequences?
The compelling thing to remember in this discussion is, LTC has been legal for several years now and none of the predicted “blood in the streets” has come to fruition.
I think I’m with Ross on this one.
Just got a report last night at the Coming or Gone to Texan thing from daughter last night. She said the President of the Campus was real clear. He doesn’t like Guns. Not surprised.
There is an item in the NYT today:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/28/us/university-of-texas-campus-concealed-guns.html?_r=0
It includes opinions from both sides on the issue, including a grad student who said only one other student knew he carried and that some of the other residents in the off campus house he resides in would be uncomfortable so they didn’t know. I am guessing he no longer wants anonymity on this, since he agreed to be named, interviewed and photographed for the article.