North Texas College Students, Universities Prepare For Campus Carry
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DALLAS (CBS11) - North Texas colleges and universities are preparing for the return of students to school and some of them will be packing more than books.
The Campus Carry Law allowing licensed concealed weapons goes into effect August 1.
Schools are putting up signs, posting new policies online and hoping the campus regulations appease gun owners and people afraid of Campus Carry.
"You come to school to learn not to expect somebody to come to shoot," said UNT senior Stephanie Plancarte.
Campus Carry is divisive even among families.
"It is scary just coming to school," Plancarte said. "Why would you want to know that the person sitting next to you has a gun?"
Plancarte's brother is about to start college.
"For me, if I had a gun right now and I came here to UNT that would make me feel safe because what if there was a shooting," Jonathan Plancarte said. "I would probably try to do something about it."
State schools have struggled to make both sides comfortable as Monday's deadline to start campus carry approaches.
New signs on arenas, theaters and stadiums restrict where guns are allowed.
UNT is restricting gun carriers living on campus to a single dormitory building with no roommates and a gun lockbox provided in the room.
James Abbott attends UT Austin but is visiting UNT where his brother will attend. He says UT has been in turmoil over campus carry.
"It's been on my mind probably as much as anywhere else," Abbott said. "They send out emails all the time from the administration."
But campus carry hasn't factored at all into his brother's decision to attend UNT.
"It's not something he's really brought up," Abbott said.
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