Posted by Eugene Volokh:
Professor Files Complaint With Police Based on College Student's Class
Presentation in Favor of Concealed Carry:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2009_02_22-2009_02_28.shtml#1235843589
From [1]The Recorder (Central Connecticut State University):
On October 3, 2008, [John] 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.� ...
It's hard to evaluate these stories without knowing more about the
details of what the student said and how he said it, especially if the
call to the police is just a request to investigate, rather than an
outright complaint in the sense of an allegation of a crime being
committed. (The story says "complaint," but it's not clear how
precisely the term is being used.) If the presentation was indeed
simply advocacy of concealed carry, then the police investigation
sounds quite heavy-handed, and the professor's worry based on the
student's political views on the subject sounds unjustified. If
something was said that gives a reasonable person some reason to
worry, then some level of inquiry would indeed be sensible. Still, the
incident seemed worth reporting -- please let me know if any of you
have more specific information on the subject.
Thanks to [2]Paul Hsieh, who has more thoughts on the subject, for the
pointer.
References
1.
http://therecorderonline.net/2009/02/24/professor-called-police-after-student-presentation/
2.
http://www.dianahsieh.com/blog/2009/02/professor-reports-student-to-police-for.shtml
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