Jon Overton's Use Of Trigger Warnings In Education

It is often said that in universities students should be comfortable and make it feel like home. The main focus of universities is the education they are providing their students, but what if the students are being negatively affected by the lessons being taught to them? It is being suggested that universities use trigger warnings to alert students if they will be exposed to sensitive content. Many students believe if trigger warnings are applied, it will make learning easier and comfortable. But there are other students and teachers who oppose to it and say that it will change the way of learning. I agree that trigger warnings will change education, it is an issue that needs to be seen from different points of views because not all results …show more content…
I understand that some students may be sensitive to certain materials but there are others who may just use trigger warnings as an excuse. Jon Overton in his essay “Beware the Trigger Warning” agrees that there are bad consequences that can occur if they are applied in universities. Overton agrees when he writes “Where do they stop? Anything can be a trigger, from hot dogs to nazis or Mike Tyson to the color yellow” (Pg 99, Overton). His point is that people can use anything and claim it triggers them. As a student I have seen all the excuses other students make to get away with things. Students could use it in their favor to avoid failing the class, as well as to make the class easier for them. Not only is this going to affect the professors, but the student as well. If students are constantly complaining or making up excuses, it will then make teachers refrain which will lead to limiting learning. If this were to occur, then that means that students will not be learning everything they have to know which will lead to not being able to master the course fully which can affect them in their future