AUSTIN, Texas — A federal court has dismissed a lawsuit by three University of Texas professors who argued that a new state law allowing concealed handguns on campus could have a “chilling effect” on classroom debate.
Sociology professor Jennifer Lynn Glass and English professors Lisa Moore and Mia Carter sued last summer, before the law took effect in September. It requires public universities to allow people with concealed-handgun licenses to carry weapons inside school buildings.
The professors said guns in classrooms could lead to self-censorship during discussions about emotional or politically charged topics, such as abortion or gay rights. They said that could disrupt academic discussions and violate constitutional free speech protections.
U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel dismissed the case Thursday, ruling the professors offered “no concrete evidence to substantiate their fears.”
