Bear River turns down the music and turns up the attention in class.

We at the Bear River Current have noticed that it’s a common trend for students to wear headphones during class time. Despite what this generation may think, a consensus shows that the Current staff and the majority of Bear River’s staff and students believe the trend itself is considered disrespectful.

Fine Arts Teacher Elizabeth Jens agreed.

“I feel horrible about it, because no one can hear anything,” said Jens. “It’s totally disrespectful and rude, how can someone pay attention and hear what is going on when they have something in their ear.”

Junior Taylor Hamilton concurred.

“I believe it’s very disrespectful, and that if the teacher is talking you should be listening and not distract yourself with music or your phone,” he said. 

Providing an outsider perspective on the topic, Science Teacher Peter Gammelgard finds this trend isolating and unnecessary.

“I find it fascinating that so many students are almost perpetually listening to music, and I myself don’t understand it,” he continued. “I don’t get it because I don’t do it, I don’t find any mean to do it, and I think it isolates people from other people around them while they are doing homework or doing anything else.”  

Junior Heidi Tyra sympathizes with the teachers.

“When teachers are talking in the front of the class I believe they think it’s rude for student to have headphones in,” she said. “It probably gets quite irritating for them.”

Junior Trevor Chandler justifies his reason behind his participation in the activity. 

“I can see how teachers may think it’s disrespectful when you aren’t giving them your full attention and you’re distracted by doing something you want to rather than paying attention,” he went on. “But from my perspective there are some teachers in which all they do is talk and I feel like I’m not getting anything out of it so I’ll go and listen to music.”

In contrast to Chandler’s belief, English Teacher Sherlyn Reafsnyder expressed her stand on the subject’s disrespectful nature.

“It’s not really so much me, but it’s disrespectful to all the other students who are working with them,” she said. “My students work in groups and when they aren’t engaging into the conversation they are missing out on getting help while they are technically refusing to help others.”

“Respect is taking them off, taking them out, and putting them away,” said Reafsnyder.

All in all, the use of headphones in class is acceptable when working independently, however it is considered extremely disrespectful when teachers are lecturing or collaboration is to take place.