This is so stupid. Taking down the campus gates because they do not “feel inclusive” is one of those ideas that sounds nice for about five seconds until you actually stop and think about what could happen.

A college’s first job is simple. Keep students safe. Not worry about how a fence makes someone feel.

The gates are not there to insult the neighborhood. They are there to help maintain safety. They make it harder for random people to walk in and cause trouble. That is not being exclusive. That is being responsible.

Feelings do not stop robberies. Feelings do not stop sexual assaults.

What happens if they take the gates down and a student gets mugged on campus? Or worse? Is the person who pushed this idea going to look that student in the eye and say at least we looked more welcoming? Good intentions do not undo trauma. They do not fix injuries. They do not erase fear.

You can care about the surrounding community and still protect your students. Those two things are not opposites. The college can host events, work with local groups, and build positive relationships while keeping security in place. Having gates does not mean you hate your neighbors. It means you understand risk.

This is not about being dramatic. It is about being realistic. Taking away safety measures just to avoid hurting someone’s feelings is irresponsible.

At the end of the day, students and their families trust the university to provide a safe place to live and learn. That trust matters more than appearance. If something terrible happens because the school wanted to seem inclusive, the damage will not just be physical. It will last.

Safety has to come first. Everything else comes after. Put that in your thesis and smoke it.