Texas professors worry concealed weapons in classrooms could stifle heated debates

Faculty members at the University of Houston are speaking out about a new law in Texas that will allow public university students to bring guns into classrooms, The Associated Press reports. The opponents of the law claim sensitive topics will become entirely untouchable if there is a risk of riling someone up.

"Academics know the intrusion of gun culture into campus inevitably harms academic culture," president of the faculty senate at the University of Houston Jonathan Snow told the Board of Regents.

Several days ago, a widely circulated University of Houston faculty senate slideshow carried an ominous message: that professors might want to drop "certain topics" from their curriculum now that students could be armed. The slideshow further implied that they might want to exercise particular caution when "discussing sensitive topics."

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Texas law says that licensed gun owners may carry concealed handguns on the campuses of public schools, including in classrooms and in dorms. Private universities have a little more wiggle room, and may still ban guns from their campuses.

Some don't see the guns as a problem, though. "It's a completely unfounded fear," Professor Jacob Smith said, citing other states that already allow guns on campus and have not experienced confrontations between armed students and professors.