Pass: First 5,000 gun licenses sent out

The first 5,000 licenses from more than 50,000 Illinois applicants for concealed carry were approved and mailed on Friday, according to the Chicago Tribune.

This marks a long-anticipated moment following a December 2012 federal appeals court decision invalidating Illinois’ ban on carrying weapons in public.

While Illinois politicians did everything they could to evade this ruling — our state was the last in the nation without a concealed carry law — I am happy to see the Constitution respected and Illinoisans’ rights restored.

Concealed carry provides significant protective benefits for Illinois residents.

For one, the possibility that anyone could be carrying at any given moment will likely give would-be aggressors pause.

Victims who are seemingly helpless suddenly become potentially capable of the ultimate form of self-defense.

Furthermore, even if an attacker’s intended victim isn’t carrying, bystanders could very well have a firearm handy, making battery or any other sort of criminal activity more dangerous than ever.

While Chicago was the murder capital of the country in 2013, those numbers may very well drop in the city and its suburbs as more applications are approved.

It was always a bit silly to believe criminals were deterred by the thought of breaking a firearm storage law while committing their violent felonies.

Now, there is some real deterrence to crime in Illinois: For the first time in decades, the good guys get to have weapons of their own.

Fail: Teachers assign work over break

Many students will spend their spring break the same way they’ve been spending the last two months: Doing schoolwork.

Doing this nullifies the purpose of a break. Whether it’s studying for midterms that immediately follow spring recess or completing a boatload of homework assignments, there won’t be much time for rest.

Teachers will often even take advantage of the time off to arrange lengthier projects than usual to fill the time.

Regardless of the type of work assigned, if the purpose is to promote student learning then the practice is counterproductive.

Extensive breaks were designed to allow students to refuel their brains and catch up on life outside of school, giving them the ability to return refreshed and completely motivated for classes.

To reap the full benefits of this, teachers should keep assignments light if they give any work at all.

Additionally, midterms should be scheduled prior to break so the class material is fresh in the students’ minds for the exams and workload over break is minimal.

This way, students won’t be penalized for going on a vacation that might inhibit their ability to accomplish certain tasks effectively.

In the same manner that students fulfill their responsibilities while class is in session, teachers should respect their students’ time when school is on hiatus.

A break with less schoolwork means students with more energy and potential when class resumes.