With the new Texas State law, telecommunication devices are no longer allowed on Plano Senior High grounds, and students must keep their devices in backpacks at all times. This restricts students from doing many things, but the key focus that we are going to focus on is music. Is music worth getting rid of? Is music a distraction? Does music affect one’s mental health poorly or beneficially? These are all questions that we will focus on in this article.
According to The JED Foundation, “listening to music may lessen the impact of depression and anxiety. A 2019 study found that college students who listened to classical music every day for two months had significantly lower levels of anxiety.” Another study shows that the genre of music you listen to is going to change how you feel throughout the day, but most of the time, your mood is going to be positive. For example, health.com says that sad girl music can improve your mood. This shows that yes, music will change your mood depending on what genre you listen to, but it will not change your mood negatively.
How does this affect kids who attend Plano Senior High School? This impacts kids because they are losing access to a vital resource that helps students relax and take stress off their shoulders. Studies show that the student’s quality of work depends on their stress levels, which means that if students had access to headphones, it could help Plano Senior High for the better. The fact is… the headphone ban rule is not a Texas State law, it’s a Plano Senior High rule. According to House Bill 1481 (the Texas ban on phones), nowhere in the bill does it state that headphones are banned. It only mentions cellular telephones, text messaging devices, laptop computers, and tablet computers.
What this means is that this is a Plano Senior High rule. Plano Senior High is limiting access to a vital resource that reduces stress. Plano Senior High has full control over this no headphones rule, and they could give back access to students and be one step closer to helping students on their campus remain stress-free. Could this change? Should it change? Do students on campus want this to change? These are all questions that students who attend Plano Senior High School want to know.
