Joanne Eisen

About the author: Joanne Eisen is a research associate with the Independence Institute, a civil liberties think tank in Golden, Colorado.

Additional gun laws will not prevent school shootings. The best way to stop the occurrence of mass shootings is the passage of right-to-carry laws, which permit law-abiding adults to carry concealed weapons. These laws reduce violent crime because potential criminals are deterred by the possibility of being shot by one of their targets. In fact, shootings are more likely to occur at schools in vicinities where adults' access to handguns is restricted. Children should be taught that, under certain circumstances, violence might be needed for self-defense.

On April 20, 1999, after a year of planning—and signs of trouble ignored by parents, teachers and peers—Eric Harris...