Colorado professor threatened to cancel class if he learned of someone CC

Grunwald · Sep 4, 2012

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Physics Prof Rebuffed Over Canceling Classes with "Carry" Students (GunAuction.com)

University of Colorado Chancellor Phil DiStefano recently notified the Boulder campus faculty members --in particular Professor Jerry Peterson, chairman of the Boulder Faculty Assembly --that professors "do not have the right to shut down a class or refuse to teach" should they learn that one of their students is lawfully carrying a gun under a concealed-carry permit. Peterson said he planned to cancel class if he ever learns any of his students are carrying firearms. An e-mail to faculty, DiStefano wrote, "I have the utmost respect for Professor Peterson, who is an old friend and valued colleague, but I want to make clear that if the student carrying the weapon has a concealed-carry permit, the position implied by Professor Peterson's comments directly violates Colorado law and the operating principles of the campus." DiStefano said any faculty members who do so will be in violation of their contracts. He wrote, "On this issue, there can be no ambiguity: all CU-Boulder faculty, as CU and state employees, are expected to teach their assigned courses and to hold classes for all enrolled students."

iusmc2002 · Sep 4, 2012

A higher-learing facility actually adhering to state law in terms of a positive for CC? That's a new one, mark it on the calendar!

pchewn · Sep 4, 2012

Does Univ of Colorado/Boulder also allow the faculty to carry? I would hope so, if they allow the students.

Spad · Sep 4, 2012

Best thing is not to advertise you carry. Silence is golden and won't give some left wing liberal a platform to spew his digusting tripe....Bill

Grunwald · Sep 4, 2012

Spad said:
Best thing is not to advertise you carry. Silence is golden and won't give some left wing liberal a platform to spew his digusting tripe....Bill

One has to wonder what kind of a bias would any student known to carry face from this professor when it comes to grading.

Darknight · Sep 5, 2012

Grunwald said:
One has to wonder what kind of a bias would any student known to carry face from this professor when it comes to grading.

Or you could just wear an anti-gun t-shirt the day of the test while cc.....

Swedish K · Sep 5, 2012

I'm shocked! think of the boulder area as being along the same lines as Davis and Berkeley. Good for them telling professors that they are in violation of their contract if they cancel classes based on CC.

mosinguy · Sep 5, 2012

south puget sound community college in oly allows cc

AlphaCoyote · Sep 5, 2012

There is an honest concern among some university professors that the presence of firearms by some people in the classroom could inhibit debate. As in, do you really want to call a guy out as forcefully as you would like to regarding some issue if you (a) know he is armed; and (b) don't know whether he's crazy. If part of the university mission is to foster open and unfettered debate, with everyone feeling comfortable to participate, it's a viable position.

But in THIS case, the Colorado Board of Regents had spoken -- So good for the president to enforce the policy. If people feel uncomfortable and think the educational mission of the university has been compromised, they should work to get the rule changed. An individual faculty member doesn't have that right.

It's the flip side of gun control laws: Don't like 'em? Get 'em changed. But don't be a cowboy flaunting them.

hermannr · Sep 5, 2012

AlphaCoyote said:
There is an honest concern among some university professors that the presence of firearms by some people in the classroom could inhibit debate. As in, do you really want to call a guy out as forcefully as you would like to regarding some issue if you (a) know he is armed; and (b) don't know whether he's crazy. If part of the university mission is to foster open and unfettered debate, with everyone feeling comfortable to participate, it's a viable position.

But in THIS case, the Colorado Board of Regents had spoken -- So good for the president to enforce the policy. If people feel uncomfortable and think the educational mission of the university has been compromised, they should work to get the rule changed. An individual faculty member doesn't have that right.

It's the flip side of gun control laws: Don't like 'em? Get 'em changed. But don't be a cowboy flaunting them.

Point one..Heated debate in a Physics class? Come on. secondly, it was the Colorado State Supreme Court, not the CU BOR. that said you can carry in a university in Colorado.

drew · Sep 5, 2012

hermannr said:
Point one..Heated debate in a Physics class? Come on. secondly, it was the Colorado State Supreme Court, not the CU BOR. that said you can carry in a university in Colorado.

It could have been a debate about thermodynamics. :s0114:

Darknight · Sep 5, 2012

As in, do you really want to call a guy out as forcefully as you would like to regarding some issue if you (a) know he is armed; and (b) don't know whether he's crazy.

If the guy is cc you will not know if he is armed or not. One other thing to think about is how long have students been cc there without incident and before it came to light? I'm 100% sure if something had happened it would have been in the news faster than the IRS could send you a bill for back taxes.

If part of the university mission is to foster open and unfettered debate, with everyone feeling comfortable to participate, it's a viable position.

That is one of the main points of the anti-gun activists. So maybe we should just all keep our guns locked up at home in the safe; or better yet we could store them at our local police departments so we will all for sure be safe and no one will feel uncomfortable.

If a person has impulse control issues, then they should not ever carry a gun. Have you ever had an aggressive person approach you while you were cc? Did you shoot them? In any situation where you are the one carrying the firearm while dealing with an aggressive hot head, it will be your burdensome responsibility to de-escalate the situation. If you don't you will be on the six o'clock news as the bad guy vigilante with a gun.

pogi · Sep 6, 2012

As a CU grad, Boulder is a funny beast. Kudos to DiStefano for stepping up and putting the faculty in place.

Jamie6.5 · Sep 7, 2012

AlphaCoyote said:
There is an honest concern among some university professors that the presence of firearms by some people in the classroom could inhibit debate. As in, do you really want to call a guy out as forcefully as you would like to regarding some issue if you (a) know he is armed; and (b) don't know whether he's crazy. If part of the university mission is to foster open and unfettered debate, with everyone feeling comfortable to participate, it's a viable position.

So you are saying that it's not possible to have an unfettered, honest and open debate and still remain polite? Still have a civil discussion?
That colleges and universities are teaching that it's okay to get in someone's face to win a debate? And that that level of hostility (that would inspire someone's need to protect themselves) is okay?

How far has society De-evolved if one feels it's their right to go beyond reasoned, thoughtful discussion with someone during a debate in "an institute of higher learning?"

As was said long ago:
"An armed society is a polite society."

Maybe colleges should go back to teaching, strive to contribute to society, and leave reactionary and revolutionary "thought" to coffee houses and bars.

DoubleTapDrew · Sep 7, 2012

As in, do you really want to call a guy out as forcefully as you would like to regarding some issue if you (a) know he is armed; and (b) don't know whether he's crazy.

I'm glad my debate classes never got so heated as to incite someone to murder his/her opponent (armed with a gun, knife, pencil, textbook, etc)!

accessbob · Sep 7, 2012

Something interesting to ponder. Perhaps those who express concern that someone will get annoyed to the point of shooting someone in class are scared of that because they, themselves, believe that others have the same lack of self control that they have. I'd be more afraid of those people than others.

jeepseth · Sep 7, 2012

Yeah, if you don't like it work hard to get the law changed! Make it illegal for the guy you were in the "angry, heated debate" with a criminal if he's carrying. Because laws against guns have worked SO well to prevent campus violence in the past. Yup. That's what we need to do. -sarcasm off-

Misterbill · Sep 10, 2012

AlphaCoyote said:
There is an honest concern among some university professors that the presence of firearms by some people in the classroom could inhibit debate. As in, do you really want to call a guy out as forcefully as you would like to regarding some issue if you (a) know he is armed; and (b) don't know whether he's crazy. If part of the university mission is to foster open and unfettered debate, with everyone feeling comfortable to participate, it's a viable position.

But in THIS case, the Colorado Board of Regents had spoken -- So good for the president to enforce the policy. If people feel uncomfortable and think the educational mission of the university has been compromised, they should work to get the rule changed. An individual faculty member doesn't have that right.

It's the flip side of gun control laws: Don't like 'em? Get 'em changed. But don't be a cowboy flaunting them.

Funny, I have "Heated debates" with friends all the time, all of whom are armed. It never occurs to me that one of them will pull their CC guns and shoot me over a disagreement.

I've called these friends, fascists, Commies, totalitarians, statists and other names, and they have likewise called me the same. AMAZING that no one has gotten shot over this.

The Prof and you, need to get grip. the mere possession of a firearm doesn't equate to an intent to use it. Certainly not to resolve an intellectual dispute.

This is projection in all it's fury. The prof in question would no doubt use a gun to settle an argument. That
is a great argument for University profs being disarmed. It presents no argument whatever for students with CCW licenses being disarmed.