‘6-7‘ Disrupts Classrooms: The Viral Trend Sweeping Schools Explained
WASHINGTON – Classrooms across the country are experiencing a peculiar disruption: students spontaneously shouting “6-7.” The seemingly random outburst is the latest viral trend taking hold among young people, leaving parents and educators baffled. While the origin remains somewhat murky, experts say the phrase has become a generational code word, fueled by social media and a playful defiance of authority.
The trend’s roots appear to trace back to a March video posted by basketball influencer Cam Wilder on YouTube, capturing two teenagers at an Amateur Athletic Union game uttering “6-7” to the camera. More recently, Charlotte Hornets player LaMelo Ball, who is 6 feet 7 inches tall, amplified the trend by incorporating the phrase and associated music into TikTok videos.
“Because there’s nothing that middle schoolers or elementary schoolers like more than to have teachers get upset and try to take action against something, especially if the something is impossible to ban,” explained Dr. Candice North, a youth culture researcher. She notes the inherent challenge in suppressing the phrase, as the numbers 6 and 7 are unavoidable in everyday life, even within educational settings – appearing in math problems or simply as part of the date.
according to north,”Six,seven” functions as a secret code,offering a sense of belonging and shared experience for kids. “It’s almost become a game because kids have realized that adults can’t avoid sometimes saying or being exposed to the numbers 6 and 7 because they’re a part of everyday life.” She confessed, with a PhD, she’d deliberately seek out opportunities to say the numbers if a teacher forbade it.
the rapid spread of “6-7” highlights the power of social media in accelerating generational trends, though their lifespan tends to be shorter than in the past. Previous viral phrases, like “skibidi” – originating from a computer-animated video – have quickly faded from popularity.
Educational consultant Maria Trujillo suggests the trend may be a lighthearted response to the pressures facing young people. “When you think about all of the things that our kids go through in this age…maybe it’s this generation telling us to lighten up a little.”