Monday, October 7, 2013

What's the harm in listening to music?

Lauren Mangano

Opinions Editor



You’re walking through the hallway, earbuds in your ear, your favorite song bringing up a positive vibe throughout your whole body. A faint voice is heard in the background, and it’s time to make the music stop.
 Cell-phones and other technology are a part of the everyday lives of teenagers in almost every environment--including school.  At the start of the 2012-13 school year, cell-phones were allowed in the beginning of class, at the end of class, in the hallways, and were being used for things like music, texting, and popular games. As the 2012-13 school year went on, a dilemma with the once very popular iPhone app, SnapChat, changed the cell-phone rules. There were complaints from parents and students concerning misuse of the app, consequently removing many of our phone privileges as students. Following the rule change, cell-phones were not to be seen or heard, and even weren’t supposed to be seen in hallways.
 As the new school year rolled around and the new principal, Mr. Malone, came to New Hope-Solebury High School, the cell-phone rules changed yet again. Now, it is not even okay to have earphones in while walking in the hallway, disabling students from listening to music during their passing time in between classes. It is now just a little bit harder to enjoy ourselves during these four minute intervals we have during a seven-hour school day.
 This rule seems to actually be enforced, too. Many times I have seen a teacher ask a student to remove their earbuds. But what is the harm? Listening to music doesn’t take away from our vision in the halls, nor does it take away from our attention so much that it would cause any problems. I think that, of course, the “no cell-phones in class” rule is very understandable. Yet, I can’t think of any situation where music would be harmful. The no music rule, along with the many other changes that came along with this new school year, is one of the few decisions that seems unfair, purposeless, and is against the majority of the student body’s wants.
 I don’t think we can get this rule to be changed, but I think we as students can show that we will be more careful. Maybe we can use one earbud instead of both, that way things are still audible. Nothing bad has happened from listening to music in the halls, and we can make sure that things stay that way.