Air Pods Should be Allowed in Schools

By: Katie Ma

AirPods have been banned from many schools across Texas because many adults feel that students are “abusing” this Bluetooth device. Some adults think that it is a good idea to get rid of AirPods altogether, while others believe there are several reasons why removing AirPods could potentially slow down learning. Wired headphones aren’t a viable alternative, but they are inconvenient and easily forgotten at home or lost.

If AirPods were banned, students would use wired earphones which can take up time because of their high maintenance. Wired earphones are notorious for becoming tangled and untangling them can take several minutes. Usually, students use headphones to watch videos which are part of their homework assignments. AirPods shouldn’t be banned because then students would be wasting time untangling wired headphones.

AirPods also connect to different devices. If a class takes a trip to the computer lab or uses iPads for a day, AirPods can connect to them! With wired earphones, students would have to connect to different ports. This means there’s a high chance that a student will need to carry several different kinds of earphones, with different types of compatible jacks to be able to plug into all the different plugs. This inconvenience disappears when students can carry their own AirPods that connect to many different devices.

Most students don’t just use AirPods for school, either. The Find my iPhone app can be used to find AirPods if they are lost. When wired earphones are lost, they’re lost for good.

In addition, AirPods have easy storage. They come with a charging case that they slide into, and the case can be thrown into a backpack with no worries. Wired earphones, on the other hand, don’t have an easy storage option. Often, they are tossed into a backpack and tumble around until they are fished out. They pick up lots of debris and can break when not stored carefully.

The biggest argument against allowing AirPods in schools is that students may listen to music during class. However, this is not an entirely bad thing. A study done by Business News Daily shows that listening to music can increase dopamine levels, which makes work more enjoyable. AirPods are helpful in many ways and should be allowed in schools.