Sometimes, students just don’t know what’s best for them.

Last semester, there was a lot of talk about what UK could do to better protect their students. A faster UK Alert system, warning message boards in classrooms and more safety call stations on campus have all been discussed. One of the less discussed options for student safety is a bit more global than campus and comes at hardly any costs: ban all conflict-ridden countries from the study abroad program.

It’s hard to see how a student really gets a better, more rounded education when living in fear of attacks. It seems counterproductive to any type of learning and the cultural experience is not a necessary one.

Study abroad is a great program that allows students, some of whom may have never left their protective bubble and experienced the real world, to experience a different cultural arena that could help, not only challenge themselves in academics, but in all aspects of life. But the sophomore sitting in COM 101 shouldn’t be allowed to go to places like Israel, Gaza, Iraq or a war-torn African nation. The cultural value does not outweigh a student’s safety.

Those places struggle to educate their own — war and conflict usually shut down schools — how could they possibly educate and protect a foreign national, especially someone from the U.S.? They can’t.

UK’s best interest is protecting its students as best it can. Banning warring nations from study abroad lists is a simple way that costs the university very little money, if any at all.

And any student that is actively looking to study abroad in a warring nation should be met with wary glances and hesitation. If a student wants to help aid civilians or join an organization like the Red Cross as a foot soldier helping these nations, that’s honorable. But the point of study abroad is for the student to continue their education, not their humanitarian efforts.

UK shouldn’t be responsible for these students, and while signing a release legally absolves UK of that responsibility, in the minds of students, parents and others involved, that release doesn’t give UK any excuse for allowing a student travel to a war-torn area.

Students, don’t put yourself in danger by trying to study abroad in a country that is experiencing conflict. Administration and study abroad officials, don’t allow these students to make a bad choice. College is a time for responsibility on the student’s part, but it’s also a time to receive guidance.

War-ridden countries and those experiencing conflict aren’t acceptable for study abroad education. UK should ban them, based on State Department classifications, immediately.