It must come up in every school in one way or another -- the chewing gum dilemma. We make the rule. They break the rule. We clamp down. They continue to chew, furtively --or not.
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They slip it in discreetly; then they chew, they chew.
They think that I won't see them, but I do, I do.
I say, if you've got gum in there,
Goes in the trash, not on the chair.
Please don't bring your chewing gum to school.
They say it's only paper, but then why the hint
Of something that smells very much like peppermint?
"It's only paper wait and see,"
But then they gulp it gingerly,
Chewing gum is not digestible.
The brain researchers say that maybe gum is good;
The chewing action helps the brain. You think it could?
I wonder whether Juicy Fruit
Will make you mentally astute?
Maybe we should all chew gum in school?
Then we should ask the cleaning staff just what they think
About the gum they scrape from underneath the sink,
The floors, the desks, the walls, the stairs,
And from the bottom of most chairs.
Chewing gum is nasty stuff to clean.
The faculty debated over what to do --
Enforce the rule, or drop it and just let them chew?
The argument was awfully hot.
Some said "Chew on" and some said "Not!"
Chewing gum can tear apart a school.
We said we 'd try a year or so, and let them chew,
If they could be responsible when they were through,
And toss it in a garbage can --
Or else we'd re-instate the ban.
Chewing gum can be a teaching tool.
Well, after just a year or so, guess what we did.
The gum was sticking everywhere, and we forbid.
We didn't care about their brains;
We stuck it to them once again.
Please don't bring your chewing gum to school.
Song lyrics Copyright© 2006 Eric Baylin
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