If you are driving through a cemetery in Dunn, N.C., it better be strictly for business. A little-known law there prohibits residents from driving through city cemeteries for fun.

This and other dumb laws are found all over the globe, yet are rarely enforced, serving only as random factoids that political science professors memorize to make themselves more funny and popular at cocktail parties.

However, a new piece of legislation proposed by Republican Rep. Frank Lasee from Wisconsin may top the list of worst laws ever invented, if it ever sees the light of day. Rep. Lasee plans to introduce legislation that would allow teachers and school officials to carry concealed weapons on campus.

The Wisconsin state legislator has conceived this idea after several tragic school shootings that have occurred in the last two months, including one in his own home state which claimed the life of a high school principal. While it is no doubt startling and tragic that these shootings have taken place, LaseeÕs legislation is at best a knee-jerk response that will only cause more panic and problems concerning the issue of school safety.

The successful establishment of such a policy would be an irresponsible and ineffective way to address school violence. For starters, why would anyone think that the problem of guns in school would be solved by having more guns in school? With each firearm that is allowed on school grounds (which current federal law actually prohibits), there are more opportunities for someone to be shot, even if the weapons are used by the teachers and staff.

Consider what a typical middle or high school would look like if teachers and staff walked around with Berettas and Glock 19s at the hip. Rather than feeling that their son or daughter was safe and secure in their new militaristic learning environment, most parents of students would find the sight of instruments of death a bit alarming. And the students would not be able to focus in English class knowing that nestled between teachÕs copy of Leaves of Grass and The Hobbit is a no-nonsense .357 Magnum.

A glaring oversight with this policy which Lasee may not have considered is the high potential for a teacherÕs weapon to fall into the wrong hands. If such a policy was enacted at N.C. State, nearly all of our professors in their upper 40s, 50s or 60s could easily be overtaken by a strapping young college student with violence on his mind.

Lasee has stated that these measures would be dependant on staff members receiving strict training in the proper use of their weapons. Even if this were true, teachers whose primary responsibilities are delivering lectures and grading papers would not suddenly become the next Jack Bauer, taking out bad guys left and right and saving innocent hostage children.

Leave the life-or-death law enforcement decisions to the professionals who use fire arms and evaluate violent threats on a daily basis. Teachers should not be required to have experience with the Green Berets on their resume in order to be employed in public schools.

If LaseeÕs legislation teaches us anything, it is that we are living in a world where we are willing to take drastic measures and employ half-baked policies in order to feel an ounce of security. It is a sad day when teachers must be concerned about self-defense when they enter the classroom.

However, to deny that there is an alarming increase in gun violence on campuses around our country would be as equally asinine as LaseeÕs proposed policy. It is a real problem that involves the entire community, one which goes beyond students simply enacting violent revenge on other students.

Consider this: since September, out of five school shootings in Pittsburgh, Penn., Montreal, Canada, Georgetown, Penn., Bailey, Co., and Cazenovia, Wis., four were committed by nonstudents — only the latter involved a student shooter.

Clearly the issue is not limited to just the campus community. It is a much larger societal problem that does not have a clear cause or simple solution. But adding more firearms into the mix will only serve to hinder any sense of security one might feel while at school and provide more opportunities for firearms to be used.

The issue of keeping our campus safe should be an issue which is given our utmost attention; leaders should not resort to rash and irresponsible policies in an attempt to gain a semblance of security.

We can establish a safe learning environment through sensible policies and a proactive approach at security.

Our own University prides itself on being on the forefront of academic achievement statewide. I propose that we also be on the forefront of academic security.

Unfortunately, there is never a lack of need.

E-mail A.J. at [email protected].