Should Students Be Allowed to Chew Gum in School?

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Should Students Be Allowed to Chew Gum in School?
An increasing number of students today are showing more signs of anxiety, stress, and ADHD. A solution to the issue is allowing children to chew gum while in the classroom. Evidence shows that the process of chewing gum increases the blood flow to the brain and heart as well as increases saliva in the mouth, which gives the individual certain advantages. Students should be allowed to chew gum while in the classroom because they demonstrate increased memory and alertness, higher test scores and concentration, as well as decreased stress and anxiety (Pooley, Smith).
Most people believe that the process of chewing gum can be distracting not only to the chewer, but to the surrounding persons. Gum can be distracting if people are not respectful to others around them, but the gum itself is not distracting. It is the way the chewer handles the gum that determines if it is distracting. Studies have proven that students with ADHD who chew gum are less distracted and are able to focus more easily. Also, students with high anxiety and stress levels also benefit from chewing gum while in school because they have lower stress and anxiety levels (Smith). A study from Bournemouth University in Dorset, England confirmed that the motion of chewing helps students keep their attention span longer because they are in motion rather than sitting completely still. Carolyne Cybulski, an elementary teacher in Toronto, encouraged her students to chew gum a few times a day while working in the classroom. She reported that the result of the strategy was impressive, and her students were calmer, less distracted. Their attention span was longer, they showed less signs of anxiety, and they were in a more positi...

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...d gum after lunch ate less high-calorie snacks, and had fewer cravings for sweets and unhealthy food (Gajilan).

Works Cited

Dhingra, Arun. "Middle-School Student Makes the Case for Chewing Gum at School." Web log post. Think Gums Blog. WordPress.com, 21 Apr. 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2014.
Gajilan, A. Chris. "Chew on This: Gum May Be Good for Body, Mind." CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.
Pooley, Erin. "Can Chewing Gum Really Help Students Focus?" The Globe and Mail. Phillip Crawley, 17 Dec. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2014.
Smith, Andrew. "Effects Of Chewing Gum On Cognitive Function, Mood And Physiology In Stressed And Non-Stressed Volunteers." Nutritional Neuroscience 13.1 (2010): 7-16.Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
Smith, Shelly. "Does Chewing Gum Help You Concentrate?" Education.com. Education.com, Inc., 2006-2014. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.

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