Prof Files Complaint With Police Based on Student's Presentation

[paulsby]

what kind of presentation? One that advocated for legalizing concealed carry on campuses in connecticut.

(note: i live in WA state. concealed carry is legal here on college campuses)

apparently, advocating for concealed carry on campus in a school presentation for class is enough to get you investigated by the police per professor complaint.




From The Recorder (Central Connecticut State University):
(hat tip to Volokh.com)

On October 3, 2008, Wahlberg and two other classmates prepared to give an oral presentation for a Communication 140 class that was required to discuss a “relevant issue in the media”. Wahlberg and his group chose to discuss school violence due to recent events such as the Virginia Tech shootings that occurred in 2007.

Shortly after his professor, Paula Anderson, filed a complaint with the CCSU Police against her student. During the presentation Wahlberg made the point that if students were permitted to conceal carry guns on campus, the violence could have been stopped earlier in many of these cases. He also touched on the controversial idea of free gun zones on college campuses.

That night at work, Wahlberg received a message stating that the campus police “requested his presence”. Upon entering the police station, the officers began to list off firearms that were registered under his name, and questioned him about where he kept them.

They told Wahlberg that they had received a complaint from his professor that his presentation was making students feel “scared and uncomfortable”....

Professor Anderson refused to comment directly on the situation and deferred further comment.

“It is also my responsibility as a teacher to protect the well being of our students, and the campus community at all times,” she wrote in a statement submitted to The Recorder. “As such, when deemed necessary because of any perceived risks, I seek guidance and consultation from the Chair of my Department, the Dean and any relevant University officials.” ...

[Taverner]

1. Jesus fuck...honestly, the time for gun control is over

If we instituted gun control back before WWII like Europe did, we might have had a chance. But now, no. It's not going to work.

And I'm not even addressing the 1st Amendment issues here...

But seriously - too many people own guns. If we outlawed them, only "outlaws" would have them. Pointless.

And besides, its a fucking 800 lb elephant in the room.

Just deal with it - teach gun safety in schools like they do in Switzerland and Israel, and teach kids how to shoot circles inside of other circles.

They are here

They are a part of American Culture, just like hot dogs, beer and felching.

[emulatorloo]

2. I think people are hyper-touchy because of the whole "CAMPUS SHOOTING" phenomena

Virginia Tech and all that. We had shooters on the campus near here, for example.

For that reason I don't think campuses are going to allow concealed carry.

==
Because of that professors are also required to report anything that sounds questionable, Violence+Campus+Gun. Sounds like the guy over-reacted some, but that is maybe not totally surprising.

[paulsby]

6. they aren't

"For that reason I don't think campuses are going to allow concealed carry."

except plenty already do. in WA state, it is allowed by law.

other states have this too.

do people actually LOOK at the statistics of these campuses and compare them to states where concealed carry is prohibited?

i have never heard of ONE incident of violence involving anybody carrying concealed on any college campus in this state.

and trust me, there are enough anti-gun people here that you WOULD hear about it.

i have heard about numerous incidents on campus - rapes, etc. but no incidents involving anybody legally carrying a firearm there causing a problem with it.

also it wasn't "the guy" who overreacted. the teacher's name is paula.

basically this was all about people's feelings. because the prof. claimed some students "felt" uncomfortable, this justifies POLICE action and a "request for his presence" at the police station?

for advocating a POLITICAL POSITION that involves expanding civil rights?

it's insane.

if the prof wants to prohibit discussions like this, she could have made the assigment "please talk about a relevant issue in the media EXCEPT anything involving guns cause that's like icky and makes people FEEL uncomfortable".

fat people in tight spandex and men with bare hairy backs make me feel uncomfortable. should i notify the campus police if i see any?

[emulatorloo]

14. Paul or Paula? Would make a good TV show.

Again depends on the rules on her campus. She may be required to report such things.

Perhaps Wahlberg has a history of odd and anti-social behavior. Again campuses require disturbed behavior + gun talk to be reported.

In otherwords I think there may be more to this story than is being reported.

By the way, I do not recall a campus incident where fat people in tight spandex or hairy backs killed students and faculty. So I doubt the campus has rules about that.

[MattBaggins]

15. Depends on how he gave the presentation

If he intentionally did it a threatening manner then the Professor was required to report it. Need more info as to why the class felt threatened.

Oh well why look at all the facts and sides of what happened? Time to sit back and watch the gun snatchers and gun huggers throw feces at each other.

[Redneck Socialist]

3. Link?

Unless the teacher is a raging nutbag, no one get the cops (even campus cops) called on them for making an in class presentation. There has got to be more to this story.

[petronius]

5. I was wondering exactly what was said in the presentation

If it was just pro-CCW, then the prof is a freak. However, if the student dropped hints that he was currently carrying (and I've seen students say some pretty odd things in attempts to be 'edgy'), then it's possible that he did scare some other students.

Personally, I'm pro-RKBA and pro-CCW, but as a professor I'd uphold the rules of my institution, and take action if I believed a student was violating them...

[paulsby]

7. here's da link

sorry for leaving it out

http://therecorderonline.net/2009/02/24/professor-called-police-after-student-presentation/

[Redneck Socialist]

8. Hmmm, still not much to go on there.

I still feel that there is more going on here than is presented in the article. I doubt very much that the Prof called campus security just because she was uncomfortable with the topic of the student's presentation.

I'm also curious how the campus cops were able to find out what guns the student owned.

[paulsby]

9. i would assume

that this is one of those states where guns have to be registered and thus a simple online check would give that info.

here in WA you CAN register guns but are not required to. if i run somebody's CCW it shows the guns he has registered, but he may have many more, or have none registered. i didn't register my handgun.

i am open to the possibility that there is "more to this story" but it would be nice if the newspaper would let us know what it is.

i HATe relying on newspapers as imo they do such crappy reporting.

[X_Digger]

11. According to the comments..

The Campus Cops are state police, as it's a state uni. (in answer to how they got the list of guns)

[paulsby]

13. yea

i went to a UC school, and the cops there were full fledged Peace Officers under the California Code same as officers working for any municipal agency.

A lot of people went to schools where campus cops were "campus security" or other type of agency, but many campus police agencies are full fledged police.

in my experience ( i know a few UW cops) campus police in situations like this receive pretty extensive training and often take the job because they can take graduate school or undergrad classes for free or reduced rates.

i had a friend who worked the campus police, and got his master's degree while doing so.

not a bad gig.

[jody]

4. Link below.

http://therecorderonline.net/2009/02/24/professor-called-police-after-student-presentation/

[X_Digger]

10. great quote in the article..

“If you can’t talk about the Second Amendment, what happened to the First Amendment?” asked Sara Adler, president of the Riflery and Marksmanship club on campus. “After all, a university campus is a place for the free and open exchange of ideas.”

[tanngrisnir3]

12. Someone that pig-ignorant and timid needs to work in a flower shop, not teach