To protect campuses, there must be a better way

Regarding state Rep. Charlie Collins’ campus-gun bill, I feel it is a well-intentioned but risky solution to the threat of a gunman on the school campus.

A person with a concealed-carry license typically has received approximately one-half day instruction in gun operation, safety and in the laws that govern carrying a concealed weapon. Rep. Collins initially objected to requiring any additional training. But will even the 16 hours of instruction added in the latest version of the bill prepare an armed student or employee for the challenge of an unexpected life or death event in a crowded classroom?

Police departments don’t think so. They focus intensively on an officer’s ability to cope with the “fight or flight” response to such events. In high-stress situations, decision-making tends to become more instinctual than reasonable, and fine motor skills are significantly reduced. A combination of training, mental preparation and experience is the only antidote. But even when they receive regular recurrent training, experienced and professional police officers still can and do make tragic errors in the heat of the moment.

What can we expect from a non- professional? I don’t think it is wise to assign this responsibility to a barely trained and inexperienced student or university faculty member or employee. There must be a better solution. JAMES JERNIGAN Fayetteville