Why do some people think that “No offense, but…” or “I’m not trying to be rude, but…” allows them to say whatever they want? It’s almost always followed by something offensive and/or rude. I’ve run into this with my students a lot, which is somewhat acceptable (but no less annoying) because scientifically their brains are still developing. The filters that adults have, that (usually) keep us from blurting out everything that we think as soon as it comes to us, haven’t fully developed yet in the teenage brain. This is one of the things that makes working with teenagers so “exciting.” It’s also contributed to me being on a first name basis with a few local bartenders. In my classroom, I have heard things like, “I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t think you know what you’re talking about,” or “No offense, but I hate your class,” or “I’m not trying to be mean, but your outfit doesn’t match at all,” or “No offense, but the sound of your voice is starting to make me want to throw up.