University: Gun rights club not allowed because it might try to change policy on concealed carry

A university in Virginia Beach has defended its choice to deny a student's request for a club about the Second Amendment because it might try to change school policy on concealed carry.

“He wanted to start a club with the intent, expressed intent, with changing our policy on the carry law at the institution," said ECPI President Mark Dreyfus, according to an article published on Wavy, a local news source.

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Patrick Winslow, the student who tried to start the club, said his aim was to teach people on campus what the founding documents have to say about gun rights.

"I have now taken on an effort to want to educate the students and the faculty on the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, federal and state laws regarding gun control and gun laws and so forth,” he said.

Winslow received an outpouring of support from the pro-gun community after news outlets published the school's initial response to Winslow's request.

"Patrick, the University wouldn't sponsor a group like this as it does not correlate to program enhancement or community service," ECPI Campus Director of Academic Affairs William C. Salice told Winslow.

Virginia Citizens Defense League said the university’s stance is hypocritical, and since the school offers a criminal justice program, such a club is clearly important.

"It's a group that would be meeting and talking about the Constitution, the Second Amendment and so forth, and they basically said that's not a public service," Philip Van Cleave said.

"You would hope doing the criminal justice system, they would understand what the Second Amendment is, but maybe they don't," he continued.

Winslow admitted he wasn’t exactly sure how to go about starting a club on the campus, and plans to change the wording of the description of the group and reapply.

Follow the author of this article on Twitter @kctimpf