Campus Concealed Carry (AB 480/SB 363)

This bill offered by Rep. Jesse Kremer would lift the restriction in state law that prohibits licensed individuals from carrying concealed weapons in UW System campus buildings.

Speaker Vos announced about a month ago that (even though he supports the bill) he did not believe that the Assembly would take action on it this session, saying he hasn’t “seen a real outcry from the public” in favor of such a change. We [UW System] remain cautiously optimistic that this bill will not move forward this session.

Source: UW System. Legislative Report and Update. February 3, 2016.

Connections for English Language Arts/NCTE

English instructors in Wisconsin may have concerns similar to those expressed by their Texas colleagues about avoiding sensitive topics in their university classrooms if the campus concealed carry law is changed. Right now, guns cannot be brought into UW System campus buildings. If the law is changed, concealed weapons will be allowed in classrooms. Since English studies frequently asks students to critically explore contentious ideas expressed in books, this change might have a chilling effect on the comfort of instructors at IHEs to explore issues that could ignite emotions.