At the beginning of this school year, a new policy was introduced: the music ban. This is the rule that prohibits listening to music in all classes. There has been a lot of controversy about this at school. I have conducted interviews and research to determine the true reasoning behind this ban, and if it is just. 

Ms. Gifford, high school principal, provided insight into the reasoning behind creating the rule. According to Ms. Gifford, “conclusive research came out making us (The Leadership Team) realize that we needed to think carefully about whether we allow music”. That is also why it was introduced now, rather than in previous years, since there hadn’t been “evidence about whether or not music was good or bad”. When asked about how music affects students’ behavior, learning, and focus, Ms. Gifford presented numerous facts and ideas. “Music improves students’ behavior because it makes it less likely to distract other students”, she stated. However, she remarks that music also “takes away from your focus”. “Audio is the first thing our brain pays attention to. When trying to comprehend something, even though it might be very subtle, your brain is subconsciously focused on the music.” Ultimately, the phrase, “In school, we are trying to develop deep thinking, analytical skills, and problem solving”, was her response to the question asking ‘how do you respond to students who say that music helps concentrate and manage stress?’ “Yes, music can help focus on more menial tasks. But what we’re trying to do as a school is not focus beyond superficial thinking.”

Adding on to Ms. Gifford’s interview, I gathered opinions from two Year 10 students. Avery Hadfield states that she “disagrees with this rule”, music “helps motivate me to continue to work,” and she finds it “much easier to concentrate with music.” Likewise, Dominga Zeiss shares that music “blocks out distractions, allowing me to complete my tasks.” Finally, when asked if they thought the rule was fair, both Dominga and Avery responded similarly. “I think it is unfair”, they stated, “for the students who can actually concentrate and benefit from music”.

In summary, I think that there should be a compromise. In classes that require profound thinking, the rule is acceptable. However, in subjects where the mood booster and focus from music are more beneficial, students should have the choice whether to play music or not. As explained in ‘Healthline’, “Music doesn’t affect everyone in the same way, so the answer is not just a straightforward ‘yes’ or ‘no’ ”.