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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A tenured professor at the University of Texas says he will not teach next year because the new law allowing for concealed handguns at public universities has left him fearing for his safety.
Economics Professor Daniel Hamermesh says he teaches required courses that draw hundreds of students and it would be difficult to identity one who may be disgruntled or has a mental disorder.
The Austin American-Statesman reports that some faculty have threatened to leave over the law that takes effect Aug. 1, but Hamermesh appears to be the first to have followed through.
He doesn't expect many professors to leave because of the law but says it will likely affect the hiring of academic leaders.
The law allows campuses to carve out "reasonable" gun-free zones, provided they don't effectively ban guns entirely.
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