Trigger Warnings is not bad idea to start adopting in our colleges and Universities. We are becoming so insensitive, with ourselves, as well respecting or understanding people’s feelings. We live in a society where, we want bluntness disregarding the consequences, or how it may affect people with traumatic events. The nuance of this controversial topic Trigger Warnings has arisen and we have to take in consideration that if students are asking for them, because there’s a whole reason for it. Trigger warning advocates a voice of students that can’t speak for themselves, about their fears, and what affects topics affects them in a classroom setting. Trigger warning and content notes are two different things that we need to understand. Trigger warnings is a clear and specific way of alerting students of certain information that would be discussed in class, example panic attacks due to strong material related to race, abortion or, war related material with high graphical content that could cause a student with PTSD could have flash backs. On like Content Notes, is different, it is a theoretical value to a neutral meaning that allows people to make a decision whether they want to engage in a material or not. But content notes doesn’t really serve the purpose as trigger warnings, although it could be associated, but in rare cases it talks about trauma content, or larger societal issues that provokes individual harm. We are not God or mind readers to judge people because of the way they accept certain school related material in life differently then others. We really need to be open minded and it does not mean that we need to baby students, its about understanding each other and take a step further in coming up with different approach, in teaching sensitive material in class. Trigger warning would help and improve not only college academia but it would also help students have a positive reaction to more material as they get exposed differently, allowing more opportunities for new curriculums work. Professors should be able to teach without fear. Allowing professors to teach material with Triggering content as long a Trigger warning has been implied.
The article “students’ Request for Trigger Warnings Grow more varied” by Robin Wilson. Wilson quotes Neil Gilbert, a professor of social welfare, who says ‘sensitivity has become a more important criterion than intellectual challenge’. We all have feelings and we should control them, but everyone is different and everyone has had different experiences. We need to really reflect that we don’t know what this student is going thru or has been thru.
Professors should make accommodations for students, and be willing to work with them regardless if it means to take a step further than the rest of the class. Wilson spoke saying, “We shouldn’t alienate students”(Wilson) because of their unknown tragic past, instead encourage to interact which such material. Create workshops or assigning related material but at a different approach. Some professors argue that we could miss the valuable teaching on a very controversial topic, but necessarily if we are introducing it with many different angles of approach. We can’t relate to the student circumstances, or punish them without giving warnings, Lets encourage students proceed with their college goals and not allow them to get stuck for sensitive material.

By just saying: ‘“ The content of this course will include topics that are difficult for some people to confront or discuss” but arrangements would be made’ (Cohen qtd. in Wilson). We should encourage more professors to be open and not limit but communicate their teachings with a different strategy.
Trigger Warnings is a way to communicate with students and to provide a feed back that you do care and are there to assist them. Alissa R. Ackerman the author of Trigger Warnings are Good for all Students, supports trigger warnings and she says, “trigger warnings are good for students who are trauma survivors and have the added bonus of being good for their fellow students and colleagues” (Ackerman pg. 6)
It could be a learning experience, if we interact with people that have emotional and physical distress. It would help us better understand why it is important to have trigger warnings but also to be able to respond to circumstances where you might come across someone with these disabilities. Trigger Warnings prepares students to take a moment of pause to help them gain focus in difficult material being presented. This does not mean students will excuse themselves from the discussion or classwork material to be covered. The warning makes the material approachable and expected. Because if you don’t warn the material content like Andrea Ackerman adds, “For students who are trauma survivors, triggers can have severe repercussions. one may not functionally engage in discourse when they are using energy to remain present and calm” (Ackerman pg. 7). Which without knowing you might be causing serious harm to someone who has been thru so much emotional or physical abuse or have experience a death, like a soldier in a war period.
Not all warnings are noticeable there has been cases where victims and survivors of trauma may experience intense responses like Smith, S.E. “On The Difference Between Trigger Warnings And Content Notes, And How Harm Reduction Is Getting Lost In the Confusion”. xojane.com 24 May 2015. Web. 28 February 2016. Said: “It might be a certain perfume, the blades of fan, a logo.” We can’t guarantee that we can fix it but can certainly help students with these symptoms and make it more into a positive movement. We have many of our service men that have contributed so much for this country and the transition to civilian life is not easy. A soldier, to civilian life is not an easy process. Especially with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, we should be aware and know how to approach them.
Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, authors of the article: “ The Coddling of the American Mind”. They oppose to the idea of Trigger Warnings, known as well for microaggressions (which are actions or word of choices that have no malicious intent but are thought as a kind of violence.) Both disagree that we should have trigger warnings. They state that it’s against our freedom of speech. I believe that professors are an empowerment and mentors to students, and if they don’t have the right understanding of microaggressions we are hindering the future of students. Today we are still facing racism, in some places more than others, and we are forgetting the valuable things that matters more in society. We need to look at trigger warnings as a path to help students and teachers get together involved. A trigger warning is not a cure, but it is a new platform approach to relate to how society is being hurt.
Trigger warnings can be so controversial, and its not developing thing skin but its giving a warning to certain content presented. When we are being provided with these choices a more rational decision can be made. Have more interaction with students, professors can explore more comfortable high profile topics and be able to move forward with their class. No cuddling but just letting you know what is on the class content list might help students make a better choice and support the idea to confront controversial issues taken place in class. Having to talk about this content warning material, makes it even more interesting and welcoming to students that have been victims or traumatic survivors to come aboard and share the class experience.

Trigger Warning Bibliography

Ackerman, Alissa R. “Trigger Warnings Are Good For All Students.” Bitch Magazine: Feminist Response To Pop Culture 69 (2016): 6-7. Academic Search Complete. Web 21 Jan 2016.
Lukianoff, Greg and Jonathan Haidt. “The Coddling Of The American Mind. (Cover Story).” Atlantic 316.2 (2015): 42-52. Canadian Reference Centre. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.
Wilson, Robin. “Students’ Requests For Trigger Warnings Grow More Varied.” Chronicle Of Higher Education 62.3 (2015): 28. Academic Search Complete. Web 21 Jan. 2016.