For years, chewing gum has been banned in schools. It’s a distraction, educators said for years, and the kids are just going to smear it everywhere. Well, the Volkenschwand School in the German state of Bavaria is bucking the system and changing the game. The Volkenschwand School allows students to chew gum under a trial program designed to improve student learning.
“Chewing gum is good for the children’s health and improves their cognitive performance,” said Bavarian education minister Wolfgang Ellegast, who approved the trial program. School headmaster Siegfried Lehr approves of the trial, adding, “The prerequisite for learning with fun is that kids come to school without fear and that they feel happy… Therefore we are encouraging them to chew gum in break and in lessons.”
Chewing gum provides quite a lot of benefits in terms of oral health, and it gives students the chance to burn off excess energy without fidgeting. The only rules to the gum program are the gum has to remain in their mouth and must be disposed of properly. To that end, the students have special gum receptacles they made and decorated themselves at their desks. Let’s just hope there’s no confusion during chemistry class that leads to someone blowing their head off.
Tags: Volkenschwand, Bavaira, Germany, Volkenschwand School, Wolfgang Ellegast, Germany school allows chewing gum, chewing gum allowed in schools, Siegfried Lehr, chewing gum in schools, unusual school rules, rule changes for schools, chewing gum
