Professors challenge to Texas ‘Campus Carry’ law rejected

Three University of Texas professors have lost another legal round in their challenge to a Texas law allowing people with concealed-handgun licenses to carry weapons on public university campuses.

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday refused to revive their lawsuit, which had been dismissed last year by a federal judge in Texas.

Lisa Moore, Mia Carter and Jennifer Glass had challenged the law on numerous constitutional grounds. They argued that fear of having armed students in their classrooms would have a chilling effect on free speech.

A three-judge panel rejected the argument, saying there is no proof of impending harm that would justify such fear. They also rejected an argument that the Texas law violates the Second Amendment by not sufficiently regulating classroom firearms.

The law allows for individuals to carry concealed handguns into classrooms. But under federal law, there are areas on campus that can be excluded.

Some of those areas include:
-patient care areas, such as the student health center
-sporting events, like Sun Bowl Stadium
-laboratories, like the biology building

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