Texas law allows concealed hold at public institutions, but private organizations are free
Southern Methodist University’s traditional student body is asking for concealed carry privileges on campus, hoping the new president will approve of the change.
Preston Patten, chairman of the Turning Point USA section at SMU, stated to The College Fix that the plan for gun rights is focused on public security.
I’m a senior and former Army Ranger, and I feel like I may assess potential problems and issues based on my own personal experiences. One of these concerns was that SMU is a “waffen completely area.”
According to an essay from the Texas Tribune, the law does not apply to private institutions like Southern Methodist University, but kids can have weapons on public school schools if they are at least 21 and have a concealed carry permit.
Patten claimed that the Turning Point book launched its concealed take initiative in the slide, just before the university’s former president announced his resignation.
The TPUSA book officials made contact with the Office of the President for the first time since 2015, he said in an official pronouncement letter from November.
” We learned that our present President may be stepping down after this, which put a pause on our initiative,” Patten told The Fix.
Then, the group is planning to make contact with the new leader, Jay Hartzell, who started the place on Jan. 7.
Patten said he is “hopeful” that Hartzell may work with the Turning Point USA book.
He told The Fix,” He is quite familiar with the plan and how it can be implemented safely and effectively on school,” adding that his previous place was at the University of Texas at Austin, which did allow campus carry.  ,
In order for the new administration to be open to working with us, he said,” We are currently in the process of drafting a new declaration letter.”
The Fix‘s letters and a phone message requesting comment on the individuals ‘ plan over the past two months were neither the school media relations staff nor the president’s business.
MORE: Pupil suspended for’ blasted’ article, weapon video wins first victory in court
However, the TPUSA chapter now created a plea to help campus carry.
According to the complaint, which is linked to on the SMU Instagram page,” The SMU management may alter the school’s weapons plan to help individuals the same right to carry firearms on campus that they would otherwise include off campus.”
According to the statement,” People who choose to be a part of the school community should be trusted with the same right to possess firearms, pepper spray, weapons, and other methods of self defense as they would if they were not on campus.”
Patten said the club is “in the process of petitioning on campus”, which has been” well received”.
” I have personally met with multiple professors, faculty, and staff who are on board to back a policy change”, he told The Fix.
Patten said,” Our group is prepared to utilize donors, phone banking, and even protesting on campus in order to spur the initiative along”.
To aid their efforts, the group hosted Dr. Ben Carson, a conservative physician and former U. S. Secretary of Housing, at an event discussing the campus carry initiative on Oct. 15. On November 11, the organization hosts a sponsored gun range day to” shatter the stigma around firearms,” according to a post on its Instagram page.
On February 27, Alex Stein, the host of Prime Time with Alex Stein on BlazeTV, will also be attending a similar event for the TPUSA chapter.
Patten said the group’s main concern is the safety of SMU’s students.
” Our main reasoning is students ‘ safety, as they see fit, within the confines of the law”, Patten said.  ,” Of course that includes a potential active shooter scenario, but it also includes isolated acts of violence, sexual assault prevention, self defense, etc”.
Additionally, The Fix sent a comment to Students for Concealed Carry, a group that campaigns for concealed carry on college campuses, but it never received a response.
MORE: Professors no longer want to discuss their claims that students who are legally armed present a threat.
IMAGE: SMU Turning Point USA/Instagram
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