Another Kansas Professor Resigns Over Campus Carry Law

By Erika Haas

After much “soul-searching,” a professor at Wichita State University has decided to resign because of a state law that will soon allow concealed weapons on campus.

In her resignation letter, Deborah Ballard-Reisch, a tenured professor in WSU’s Elliott School of Communication, wrote that she has personally experienced gun violence – she was robbed at gun point in a her own home three years ago – and does “not feel safe with guns in the classroom.”

She added that permitting concealed carry weapons will “dampen open, frank conversation, so necessary for promoting intellectual growth and an informed citizenry” and “put the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff at risk.”

In 2013, Kansas passed a law permitting the concealed carry of handguns in all public places. Public colleges and universities could choose exemption from the law until July 2017.

Earlier this year, Republican state Representative Stephanie Clayton attempted to extend that exemption indefinitely, claiming the 2013 law needs to be reviewed now that Kansas is a constitutional carry state. However, her efforts failed.

According to The Wichita Eagle, Ballard-Reisch hopes to send a message to lawmakers with her resignation letter. The communications professor said she …Read the Rest

Source:: Bearing Arms