This was sent to OKACTE members via email, which I am a part of. I will not be paying any dues this year......
http://journalrecord.com/2011/05/05/fourth-reading-protect-careertech-from-house-bill-1652-opinion/
There are certain institutions and fields in Oklahoma that have done well.
For the record, the University of Oklahoma’s football team stands as one of the best – as does the state’s training for veterinarians, our skills at country music and even the number of astronauts we’ve sent into space.
The same can be said about the state’s career-technology system.
Developed – and refined – decades ago by a genius named Francis Tuttle, Oklahoma’s career-technology system has educated thousands of students and provided business training programs for hundreds of thousands more.
Ask any economic development professional and they’ll tell you that CareerTech is one of the state’s selling points when it comes to luring new businesses and industries to this, the land of the red man.
But state Sen. Steve Russell, R-Oklahoma City, wants to change that.
Russell, a veteran of the U.S. Army, is pushing legislation that would allow weapons on CareerTech campuses.
With House Bill 1652, Russell seeks to allow handguns on any property set aside for use or parking at a state career-technology center. The measure would also make it lawful for a concealed handgun to be carried into or on any career-technology center property by a person in possession of a valid concealed handgun license.
The measure is similar to previous legislation that would have allowed guns on college and university campuses. Those bills were either vetoed by former Gov. Brad Henry or failed in the Legislature.
Russell will tell you that his bill helps make a CareerTech school safer by allowing weapons to be stored and locked in students’ cars in a school’s parking lot.
Of course, should an incident involving an armed intruder take place, it’s highly doubtful that the people involved are going to wait until an unarmed student is given a chance to go to a parking lot and retrieve a gun.
Further, should an incident take place at a school and two people exchange gunfire (which I’m assuming is what Russell would want, since he’s all about arming students), then the question remains: How are law enforcement officers going to know who is the bad guy and who is the armed student practicing self-defense?
CareerTech officials call the bill frightening – not a bad idea, not something that needs to be considered, not a difficult policy – but frightening.
I agree.
Russell and his friends at the Oklahoma Rifle Association and their buddies at the National Rifle Association should be ashamed. Putting weapons in a place where there are high school students, grade-school children and even toddlers is a ridiculously bad idea.
For decades, the state’s CareerTech system has been one of Oklahoma’s crowned jewels. It’s provided a world-class education to thousands and has been a key component in our state’s economic development efforts.
And now, during a time when state lawmakers continue to struggle to backfill a $500 million budget hole, Russell wants to turn this educational system into a war zone.
The idea is more than just frightening – it’s wrong.
http://journalrecord.com/2011/05/05/fourth-reading-protect-careertech-from-house-bill-1652-opinion/
There are certain institutions and fields in Oklahoma that have done well.
For the record, the University of Oklahoma’s football team stands as one of the best – as does the state’s training for veterinarians, our skills at country music and even the number of astronauts we’ve sent into space.
The same can be said about the state’s career-technology system.
Developed – and refined – decades ago by a genius named Francis Tuttle, Oklahoma’s career-technology system has educated thousands of students and provided business training programs for hundreds of thousands more.
Ask any economic development professional and they’ll tell you that CareerTech is one of the state’s selling points when it comes to luring new businesses and industries to this, the land of the red man.
But state Sen. Steve Russell, R-Oklahoma City, wants to change that.
Russell, a veteran of the U.S. Army, is pushing legislation that would allow weapons on CareerTech campuses.
With House Bill 1652, Russell seeks to allow handguns on any property set aside for use or parking at a state career-technology center. The measure would also make it lawful for a concealed handgun to be carried into or on any career-technology center property by a person in possession of a valid concealed handgun license.
The measure is similar to previous legislation that would have allowed guns on college and university campuses. Those bills were either vetoed by former Gov. Brad Henry or failed in the Legislature.
Russell will tell you that his bill helps make a CareerTech school safer by allowing weapons to be stored and locked in students’ cars in a school’s parking lot.
Of course, should an incident involving an armed intruder take place, it’s highly doubtful that the people involved are going to wait until an unarmed student is given a chance to go to a parking lot and retrieve a gun.
Further, should an incident take place at a school and two people exchange gunfire (which I’m assuming is what Russell would want, since he’s all about arming students), then the question remains: How are law enforcement officers going to know who is the bad guy and who is the armed student practicing self-defense?
CareerTech officials call the bill frightening – not a bad idea, not something that needs to be considered, not a difficult policy – but frightening.
I agree.
Russell and his friends at the Oklahoma Rifle Association and their buddies at the National Rifle Association should be ashamed. Putting weapons in a place where there are high school students, grade-school children and even toddlers is a ridiculously bad idea.
For decades, the state’s CareerTech system has been one of Oklahoma’s crowned jewels. It’s provided a world-class education to thousands and has been a key component in our state’s economic development efforts.
And now, during a time when state lawmakers continue to struggle to backfill a $500 million budget hole, Russell wants to turn this educational system into a war zone.
The idea is more than just frightening – it’s wrong.