Having to sign eight syllabi—all of which look exactly the same–getting an impromptu trim for the requisite ID picture, launching an Ehall pass multiple times a day, and so much more means entering a new school year is NEVER easy.
t’s easy to sympathize with freshmen and transfer students.
Being new to a school is challenging, and making friends is even more challenging. So allow me to paint a picture…
As a brand new member of the ILS family, you enter the cafeteria and see tables of people who seem to have known each other for decades. No one is looking at you but you definitely feel seen, like a fish in a bowl. You decide to sit alone outside where you can be accompanied by the comfort of your favorite Netflix show or Tiktok feed. You don’t want to draw more attention to yourself so you connect your earphones to sit in peace, when all of the sudden Mr. James Rydborn and Mr. D’Andre Mickens hold out their palms in front of you and proceed to point at their ears.
At first you are lost, but then you take your buds out and reluctantly hand them over. You wave goodbye to your tiny best friends as they slo mo walk away. Then, your heart starts beating because now you have to tell your parents they will be charged for getting them back from the finance office.
On your way back to class, all you can think about is “WHY?” Amongst very angry thoughts and frustration, you might genuinely wonder why you can’t wear your airpods in lunch or while walking around the halls. Well, here is your answer.
“As we are aware, in recent years, schools have been targets for incidents. By walking around with headphones in, people are simply not aware of their surroundings,” said Mr. Rydborn who serves as the Dean of Students.
But is it really just safety reasons? Because truly what are the chances of that actually happening?
“Even though chances are low, they are never zero. Secondly, it’s rude. Nothing annoys the faculty and staff more. Are they intentionally ignoring you, using the headphones as an excuse or are they wearing them to block out everything?” Mr. Rydborn clarified.
Some teachers say airpods also show that students aren’t paying attention in class and could be watching movies or cheating during a lesson. Regardless, teachers agree it means students aren’t fully invested in what is currently happening.
Understandably, students aren’t exactly jumping for joy with this new rule and may be using their earphones for other reasons.
“I honestly love listening to music while I walk to my next class. I only wear it in one ear and it’s just a good break from sitting through a 90-minute lecture,” said senior Mia Barbacci.
Some students like to watch movies during lunch but the cafeteria can be too loud to hear. Some students just don’t want to socialize and prefer to be left alone during their free time.
Both sides are valid and have strong backing but which side is more important?
So, let’s start a discussion… should Airpods be allowed in school? Or should students be forced to unplug?
Should Airpods Be Allowed in Shcool?
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