Gum is probably one of the most common items brought to school that is not on the supply list. While it’s not necessarily contraband on campus, it has been creating a rather gross issue in classrooms all around.
Now, we’re not entirely flat lining gum, it has its uses. Gum Chewing can help someone focus and think. On the other hand, it can be a bit of a distraction sometimes, such as when someone is blowing bubbles. Some teachers on campus don’t have a problem with gum, while others try to keep it out of their students’ mouths during class. However, if there is one classroom-wide hurdle that almost every teacher has to deal with, its students sticking gum underneath the desks.
The problem of desk gum is something that has been happening for years by now, and it’s not just at this school. Many schools encourage students to throw away their gum in the trash can, but most resort to sticking it on the bottom surface of their desks. Of course, the teachers are getting gradually more frustrating. And for a good reason, too!
The gum that you see or feel underneath the desk almost always comes from the inside of the student’s mouth. As such, there is usually lots of saliva and bacteria coming out of the student, onto the gum, and eventually onto the underside of the desk. Not only is this already gross on its own, but it’s also very unsanitary.
We took the time to ask the teachers about their consensus and rules on chewing gum, what they think of the underlying problem (pun intended), and why they think it is happening at all. Mathematics Teacher Jonathon Oshiro (H303) says that he preferred that gum never existed. World History Teacher John Luhman (C102), on the other hand, isn’t bothered by the presence of gum, as long as it is disposed of properly.
Of course, this problem won’t be easy to diminish entirely. Oshiro mentions that one of the only ways we can really hit the brakes on this issue is to teach the students that they don’t need the gum at all. “Gum is short flavor, short chewing,” says Oshiro, “Students try to keep themselves occupied with methods such as gum. When the flavor runs out, they remove it.” Additionally, when prompted as to whether a ban on gum would be effective or not, all interviewees replied with the same answer: “No.”
If anything, the gum problem doesn’t seem to be declining, and it likely won’t anytime soon. Sadly, some people don’t seem to mind placing gum underneath a table that someone else will probably be using. Students, please help out our janitors a little bit and throw your gum away properly.
