Chewing gum in the middle school has not been allowed since at least 2001. Although this is true, we are in the same building as the high school and there is no rule that prohibits them from chewing gum. Why is the high school allowed and we aren’t? We believe for many reasons, the middle school gum rule should be changed, and students should be allowed to chew gum during school hours.
Students generate a lot of stress and anxiety from tests and all sorts of work inside and out of the school environment. Additionally, at this stage in our lives, we are experiencing a lot of emotions. Research from The Greatest, suggests that chewing a piece of gum may help reduce anxiety and even improve mood in the classroom. This will assure teachers and administrators that students have a item to help them stay calm in tense situations.
Middle School Principal Mr Pete Lutkoski explained that there are a few reasons for the current rule against chewing gum.“The main reason for this rule is for the cleanliness and hygiene of the school facility.” Gum chewing also goes against the formality of a classroom experience. For example, gum can get rubbed into carpets and it wouldn’t be a good use of time to be scraping gum out. There is also a fear of students sticking it under desks and then later finding it squished.
At this age, kids are unlikely to stick gum to objects in their learning environment. We do believe that middle schoolers are at a mature stage where we know how to control ourselves and not be throwing pieces of gum on the floor. It is clear to many that the students, as well as the teachers, are very passionate about our school. Students currently stick gum in places that they shouldn’t because of how the rule is enforced. If there was no rule, there would be no need to hide gum.
It is crucial that the middle school give us the responsibility and teach us how to use that responsibility instead of banning it. According to a CNN article from 2009, researchers found that the students who chewed gum did 3% better on their math tests than those who didn’t. When students realize what works for them and what helps them stay concentrated on cognitive tasks, the students are more likely to repeat that action. In this case, that action is chewing gum in class.
We believe that there should be some sort of trial period where students are allowed to try chewing gum for about a month or so in school. Mr. Lutkoski said, “We value student voice and respect opinions and feedback and will always consider options even if it is some sort of trial period.”
If there was a rule to be made or changed, the middle school would announce it in the morning announcements and change the online handbooks. A trial period of time where students can try out gum in class, is beneficial for students to understand what works for them. It is also helpful for the faculty and admin to see if gum chewing becomes a distraction or ruins furniture or carpets. This can be a month or a couple of weeks where gum is allowed
We believe that the school should consider allowing chewing gum and keep in mind the reasons why it is beneficial for many. As mentioned, students opinions will always be valued in the middle school and feedback will be appreciated. Therefore, our feedback is to try and give students a chance to figure out if gum can work for them in a school environment.
