For anyone who came of age in the late '90s/early '00s, listening to 'NSYNC was basically a rite of passage. (Unless of course you were a ride-or-die Backstreet Boys fan, in which case we don't blame you.) But when one millennial teacher recently decided to play one of the boy band's classic songs for his 7th grade class, he got put in his place real fast — and the results are pretty hilarious.
The clip was shared by Shane Frakes (aka "Mr. Frakes")
Frakes runs the popular TikTok and Instagram accounts @7thgrade_chronicles where he frequently shares random questions he asks his students along with their hilarious responses.
According to both his Instagram bio and classroom website, Frakes teaches middle school at Palm Springs Unified School District in Palm Springs, CA, and has been "teaching kids to read and lead since 2012."
In 2021, he even won the coveted title of District Teacher of the Year, and once you watch his videos, you'll quickly see why.
This latest video, however, is one for the books
In it, Frakes explains that he recently let his class listen to "Tearin' Up My Heart," an 'NSYNC single that came out in 1997, well before any of his students were even born.
But their responses only made some people feel old AF.
@7thgradechronicles My students reaction to this popular 2000’s boy band! #teachersoftiktok #teacher #middleschool #teacherlife #7thgrade #middleschoolteacher #joysofbeingateacher #postit #nsync #joeyfatone #justintimberlake #lancebass #jcchasez #chriskirkpatrick ♬ Tearin' up My Heart (Radio Edit) – *NSYNC
"It's low key a bop but cringe at the same time," wrote one kid.
"It's like Justin Bieber x5," said someone else.
A lot of kids instantly shot it down
"It's not bad, but at the same time it's bad," one kid asserted.
"Trash (sorry)," said another.
"MOM MUSIC," declared someone else.
In fact, a lot of the comments dissed the song for basically being an old person's tune.
"My tia does this song on karaoke when she drinks," quipped someone else.
"Is this video from the 1900s?" asked another.
(Ouch — that one stung.)
Some kids went a step further with their brutal honesty
One kid simply wrote, "I hate this song," along with a sketch of himself sitting in a chair with his head in his hands.
Another said they would rather eat their own hair than listen to this song again.
But not everyone was hating on the single.
"My mom loves this song — 10/10," wrote one person.
"Why is it so catchy?" another mused.
(Answer: BECAUSE IT'S THE BEST!)
In the comments, people could not stop laughing
"It’s me, I’m the Tía," one person joked.
"Your Tia and I have that in common," someone else said.
At the same time, a lot of others got defensive.
"Mom music, the 1900's … I feel attacked," one person said.
"This video called me old in so many different ways," said someone else.
"The late 1900’s comment placed me in my nursing home early," yet another person added.
Honestly, SAME!
