(We are pleased to post the following press release from the Campaign to Keep Guns off Campus).
For Immediate Release
Contact: Andy Pelosi, 914-629-6726, andy@gunfreekids.org
(June 26, 2010, New York) – The University of Colorado (CU) Board of Regents voted yesterday to appeal its campus gun ban to the State Supreme Court. In April of this year the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the gun lobby who sued CU, arguing that a 1994 university policy banning concealed weapons violated the state’s Concealed Carry Act of 2003. The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus praised the Board of Regents for their leadership in standing up to the gun lobby and choosing to protect the personal safety and security of its students, faculty, staff and university community.
Andy Pelosi, the Director of the Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus issued the following statement:
“We applaud the University of Colorado Board of Regents for taking decisive action to appeal the Court of Appeals’ ruling in order to protect its college students and faculty. The next step is for the Colorado Supreme Court to accept this case and recognize and assert that the Appeals Court’s decision overstepped the Board of Regents’ constitutionally appointed role to set policies governing the health and safety issues on its campuses. This role should include the ability to keep guns off campus and provide a safe learning environment to foster research, education and innovation.
“No student or professor should have to live with the fear of getting shot or be intimidated just because the gun lobby’s agenda wants to force the carrying of loaded handguns on college campuses. The Board of Regents had a clear choice whether to side with the gun lobby or the personal safety of its students, faculty and staff – and the latter rightfully won.
“The gun lobby has continually failed over the last three years to sway state legislatures across the country into forcing loaded handguns on college campuses. As a result of these failures, the gun lobby is adding a new tactic – pressing their dangerous cause in the courts. Part of the reason for these failures is that the overwhelming majority of people think carrying loaded handguns on college campuses is outrageous and extremely dangerous, including students, parents, administrators, campus safety officials, and lawmakers.”
The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, a project of GunFreeKids.org, is urging colleges and universities to band together to oppose the gun lobby’s agenda to push guns onto college campuses. To date, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and 157 individual colleges and universities in 33 states have joined the Campaign.
View list at: http://www.keepgunsoffcampus.com/list.html
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