TCC brings the gun debate home as faculty, staff and students discuss aspects of the national conversation such as how upbringings and experiences influence views and how the CARE teams help keep the campus communities safe.

Campus teams take prevention into own hands

By Kathryn Kelman/editor-in-chief

A student writes something concerning in a class assignment, such as revealing a desire to cause harm to themselves or others. What is the appropriate response? At TCC, the student’s instructor would notify TCC’s CARE teams who then conduct a threat assessment and create a plan of action for getting the student the help needed.

But a comment in a class assignment isn’t the only red flag faculty and staff are trained to look for that signal a student in distress. 

Sudden changes in behavior, like changes in attendance or being more antagonistic, are also things TCC personnel are trained to look out for, said NW English instructor Theresa Heflin. 

Heflin has worked with TCC’s CARE teams at least 10 times since they were introduced to her campus in 2013. In fact, she sent a report on a student to NW’s CARE team just last month.

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Students stress respect as key to stop violence

By Shannon O’Brien/reporter

The debate over guns has polarized America, and TCC students are no different.

But they seem to agree on one thing: having more respect for their fellow humans.

NW student Christian Morrow said her family was opposed to guns when she was growing up. As she’s gotten older and become a single mother, she has come to understand why some people want to own a gun. It is a matter of protecting herself and the ones she loves, she said. 

“I don’t believe guns are the problem nor should the laws be any stricter,” Morrow said. “People will still find ways to get guns even with stricter laws. The only change that would work is if everyone treated people better.”

NE student government association treasurer Dylan Winkler grew up with family members on both sides of the gun control debate.

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Two veterans share differing beliefs on guns

By Michael Foster-Sanders/campus editor

NE Campus students Martikko Mercado and Garry Chenault are both Army veterans who have seen combat.

Yet as civilians, their views on gun control are different, much like the rest of the country. 

Mercado says he’s pro-gun and believes in the Second Amendment while Chenault takes the middle ground approach and sees the pros and cons of both sides.

Mercado said he believes in the right to protect himself and his family.

“You can’t control a gun, and if you could control guns, how are you going to?” he said. “People always say background checks and psych tests, but a person can get psych tested and show that they have a brain and a soul not to do a mass shooting, but if a person is crazy enough, they will get guns no matter how you control it.”

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