THIS IS A STUDENT EDITORIAL AND DOES NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE OPINION OF THE LONGFELLOW ADMINISTRATION
AirPods should be allowed in school during recess, lunch, in class after you finish your work, and in the hallways between classes.
AirPods may actually help students in the classroom rather than impede them. All 5 students interviewed said that AirPods help them focus. While AirPods could negatively affect some students, causing their grades to slip, a new FCPS policy could specify that only students who are performing well in class may use their AirPods.
Longfellow staff, on the other hand, had different opinions. They believed that AirPods could only be used productively in a few situations. Most cases that the students seemed to make were countered by the staff.
Mr. Cormany, an instructional assistant, pointed out drawbacks to the usage of AirPods. “It could be a distraction in the hallways. A student could be listening to music and run into somebody”.
Some other major points that staff members made included the disrespectful nature of AirPods due to their noise-canceling features. It may appear that a student using AirPods is either not focused or simply doesn’t care for the current lesson. Furthermore, using AirPods phones and other cellular devices are not allowed in school, so this rule would also have to change if AirPods are allowed.
Overall, AirPods are a contentious subject between faculty and students. We believe that AirPods are good for the overall efficiency of student work. We also believe that students should be able to use AirPods after they have satisfactorily finished their work and in the hallways. Faculty and FCPS on the other hand, believe that AirPods are distracting as they can take students’ attention away from work and onto their music. They also point out that students are less attentive in the hallways, which may result in running into other people.
Both sides of the argument make good points, and it really is circumstantial whether or not they should be allowed. This is why we believe that the FCPS policy should be adjusted to allow AirPods in schools on a case-by-case basis, instead of banning them altogether.
