MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – In Minnesota, guns are banned on all school properties — public or private, across all grade levels.

But that’s not the way it is in a handful of other states.

Five states allow students and staffers to carry weapons on college campuses. Colorado even has a designated dormitory for gun-toting students.

Guns are permitted on campuses in Oregon, Mississippi, Utah, and Wisconsin, according to the nonprofit investigative journalism website ProPublica.org.

Indeed, Badger state students can carry concealed weapons on campus grounds, parking lots and other open spaces. They can’t, however, bring them into buildings with signs at the entrance saying guns are banned.

But that’s not the whole story.

In Harrold, Texas, there’s something called the Guardian Plan. There, the school district allows teachers and staffers to carry weapons in the classroom. The district finds it safer and quicker than waiting for police to arrive in an emergency.

And then there’s Michigan.

Twenty-four hours before the Connecticut massacre, the Michigan state legislature passed a bill repealing many “gun free” zones.

Michiganders with concealed pistol permits and advanced training could have carried guns into schools and sporting events on school property. But Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed the legislation Tuesday.

Snyder, a Republican, told reporters last week he was uncomfortable taking away school discretion.

And said the bill would get extra scrutiny after the Connecticut massacre.

Here are some of the sources we used for this Reality Check:

Pro-Publica: Ways That States Have Loosened Gun Laws
http://www.propublica.org/article/seven-of-the-most-striking-ways-states-have-loosened-gun-laws

National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action
http://www.nraila.org/

Michigan Gun Law
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-18/snyder-deciding-on-michigan-gun-in-school-bill-days-after-deaths.html

Teachers Carry Guns In Harrold, Texas
http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/12/14/4486104/texas-school-where-teachers-carry.html

Places Where Guns Are Prohibited in Minnesota
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/firearmsMN.pdf