Defending the Second Amendment in School

United States – -(AmmoLand.com)- High school and college are already hard enough. But when you are a Second Amendment supporter, it can be downright perilous at times.

Don’t just take my word for it look at some media reports: Students have been kicked out of class for wearing NRA T-shirts under the nonsense argument that it “promoted violence.” Others have faced worse, including suspensions, for standing up for our freedoms. These days, though with the ongoing efforts to stigmatize Second Amendment support, that can be bad news. Some of this high school stuff goes on records that can affect one’s chances of getting into college.

Worse, teachers and administrators backed the agenda of the anti-Second Amendment March for Our Lives. Students who walked out of class to protest against our Second Amendment rights got a pass for doing so. Those supporting the Second Amendment got much less support.

What is a pro-Second Amendment student supposed to do in this sort of hostile climate?

Well, as is the case with Second Amendment activism in general, a pro-Second Amendment student needs to have a good idea of the present situation. In this case, though, that awareness extends to know their teachers and the school administrators. Do they push a biased agenda, or are they fair? Have there been incidents where Second Amendment supporters have been punished in the past? How far did the punishments go?

You need to know these things because, in high school, a wrong step while defending the Second Amendment could have lasting consequences. Even if there isn’t a suspension or worse on your record, it could affect your chances of getting letters of recommendation for a college. This is a sad reality in the way things are.

This is not to say that you shouldn’t stand up for yourself or the Second Amendment. If gun control comes up in a discussion in class, speak out. But know your facts, keep your cool, and above all, remember how to avoid accidentally helping Bloomberg in those debates. The best bet is to tread carefully with teachers/professors and administrators but to be open to discussions with your classmates.

College is likely to be both better and worse.

Better in the sense that you are adults, and activism is not likely to result in official sanctions. But it is also worse in that the campus climate these days can be decidedly intolerant of any views to the right of Hillary Clinton’s. The good news, as Ammoland has noted in earlier coverage, is that there is a pro-Second Amendment organization for college students, called Students for Concealed Carry.

Again, awareness of the situation will be important. As before, the attitude of the teachers and administrators will have to factor into the decisions of is you do pro-Second Amendment activism, as well as when and where you do it. But in an era where anti-Second Amendment extremists are turning to the corporate boardroom to take away our freedoms, you will also have to take something else into consideration: How future employers will view your pro-Second Amendment efforts.

The sad fact is, with the climate that anti-Second Amendment extremists like Shannon Watts, David Hogg, and others are creating, some employers will not want to hire people who carry out pro-Second Amendment activism. While some college students will go into professional advocacy for the Second Amendment, whether with NRA, SAF, or some other group, most pro-Second Amendment college students will have to balance their desire to be involved in defending our rights with the need to not unduly risk future employment.

That said, there is still much you can do to defend the Second Amendment while in high school and college. Not all of it is in the public eye. You are never too young to write your elected officials and to learn about the issues. You can donate to pro-Second Amendment organizations. Most importantly, when you turn 18, you can register to vote.

High school and college can be hard – more so for Second Amendment supporters – but supporting the Second Amendment during those years can also be a very rewarding experience.

About Harold Hutchison

Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.