Opinion: Syllabuses should contain helpful content advisories

Trigger warnings — alerts to material that may elicit negative emotional reactions — are a topic of debate among professors.

They must consider how sensitive material affects students in their classrooms while also considering the value of these topics.

That material takes many forms and can be unhealthy for students with mental health issues — and nearly one in five adults ages 18-24 reports having a mental illness.

In efforts to help students, notices should be added to syllabuses and spaces for conversation should be made available.

In April, Kelli Raker, coordinator of UNC’s violence prevention programs, said classroom trigger warnings help students.

She said they help limit the amount of stress students feel.

But not everyone agrees.

A recent article in The Atlantic argued the use of trigger warnings implies that students are incapable of responding unemotionally to sensitive material.

Some professors contend all students — including student survivors — can benefit from covering sensitive material in the classroom.

That does not mean professors should be insensitive to students; they should be aware that some content can trigger panic attacks.

With notices, students can start conversations with their professors about triggering content.

Professors have a responsibility to cover challenging material, but they should treat sensitive material responsibly, heeding both its academic value and effect on mental health.