State agency forces Blue Ridge CC to change gun policy!

[OakRidgeStars]

VA-ALERT: State agency forces Blue Ridge CC to change gun policy!

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A bunch of bureaucrats at the Virginia Board for Community Colleges (VBCC) has just forced Blue Ridge Community College, against its wishes, to ban the otherwise lawful carry of a handgun by students, faculty, and staff who have CHPs! That rule now applies at ALL community colleges. (Guests with CHPs are unaffected, so they can still carry inside and outside buildings at all community colleges.)

This was done under the guise of the "Workplace Violence and Threat Assessment Policy." (Yeah - good job, VBCC - you have just made Blue Ridge a more dangerous place for faculty, staff, and students. Criminals appreciate your efforts in providing a self-defense-free environment for their safety and convenience!)

Blue Ridge acknowledges that there has been NO PROBLEM with anyone legally carrying there all these years. Whatever happened to the American adage, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"?

This is unacceptable, underhanded, and VCDL isn't going to take this lying down.

I have contacted the Governor's Office about this matter, as the Governor appoints the members of the VBCC.

The good news is that the General Assembly meets next month and Lobby Day is on Monday, January 16th - plan on being there as we fight this and many other issues.

Here is some coverage of the story:

http://www.newsleader.com/article/20111 ... /112100316

BRCC to ban guns on campus beginning January College to implement new state weapons policy
11:27 PM, Dec. 9, 2011
Dave Ress

WEYERS CAVE — Blue Ridge Community College will no longer allow students and staff to carry weapons on campus, beginning next month.

The move comes after the state board for the community college system approved a statewide guideline recommending a ban in September, college spokeswoman Bridget Baylor said Friday.

The college decided to adopt the standard soon after, and well before this week's shooting at Virginia Tech, she said. The college's handbook had said students are subject to disciplinary action for bringing weapons on to campus if they aren't complying with the state's concealed weapons law.

Baylor said the college has not had any problems with students or staff discharging guns or threatening people with weapons. Advocates for allowing students and teachers to carry weapons into school often cite Blue Ridge as an example to follow.

In Virginia, the state attorney general's office has ruled colleges and universities have the power to ask staff and students not to carry weapons, though generally people with permits are considered free to go most places in the state.

The state board guideline adopts a state government policy that says state workers can't possess, brandish or use a weapon on state premises, unless the weapon is required by the individual's job, as is the case for a police officer.




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VA-ALERT is a project of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc.
(VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right.

VCDL web page: http://www.vcdl.org [http://www.vcdl.org/]