Is It OK to Text During Class?

by SodaHead Living Posted 2012/07/27 20:36:22

Related Topics: Texting, School, Back To School, Teachers, students

2,633 votes
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	Yes	459 votes	17%
	No	1,354 votes	51%
	Only during an emergency	820 votes	31%

Is it just us or did summer swing by faster than usual this time around? With August just around the corner, "Back to School" is the thing on everyone's mind. Well, if you're a student, parent or teacher at least.

It's almost time to swap bathing suits for books. And while you don't have to complete any tests or do any homework quite yet, we think now's the optimal time to get your mind juices flowing with our quick, 8-Question "Back to School" Survey. Don't worry: No matter the answer, we'll give you an "A+" anyway.

+36

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Nona 2012/07/28 01:55:56

No

+12
Call me old fashioned, but I don't think cell phones should be allowed to be ON in class, most less used in class. It should be against the rules much as not passing was "in my day."
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becky.kuntz1 2012/07/31 00:22:49

Only during an emergency

+1
Emergencies do happen especially in this day and age... best to be prepared!

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thomas.fox.54 2012/07/31 00:06:45

Yes

If I was a teacher I wouldnt care who was or was not paying attention/engaged in the lesson. If you don't want to pay attention, why should I care? you are only hurting yourself.

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nicesteve 2012/07/30 23:38:07

Only during an emergency

+1
In the event of an emergency, anything that brings aid to the endangered innocent is fair
game, and should never be prohibited. With the exception for such emergency texts, the
students are in that classroom to be educated, trained, and to learn dicipline. Not to text
or yack away on a confounded cellphone. Too many kids today, take their obligation to
learn for granted, and don't realize just how life or death vital a comprehensive and
proper education from pre-school through their senior year in high school can be. Those
fourteen years are some of the most vital and important parts of a minor persons life, and
to that end, no unneccessary text messaging of any kind should ever be permitted to diminish that goal: Namely to prepare all minor people to fend for themselves, with only
minimal government assistance, in that jungle out there, and much more importantly, to
make most of the merritous contributions that the vast majority of all decient people owe to both their creator and to society.

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T 2012/07/30 23:36:21

Only during an emergency

+2
I'm not going to tell a kid that he can't be texting during class if it is a family emergency. Any rule enforcer can't allow themselves to stop being human.

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nerdygirl to T 2012/07/31 00:06:10

+1
Oh, please. If there is a family emergency the student can be reached through school phones. A lot of teachers have land lines in their classrooms now, and most teachers have cell phones. The idea that kids would be using their cell phones for texting about emergencies is laughable. You think they wouldn't just be using them to screw around?

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assbutt... to nerdygirl 2012/07/31 02:10:39

+2
Some people don't like others to hear their conversation, or maybe their parents are hard of hearing and can't talk on the phone (like mine).

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nerdygirl to assbutt... 2012/08/05 00:30:48

Teachers, who have students with special needs such as hearing impaired students or students with hearing impaired parents, accomodate those students. This is a professional matter for teachers. For instance, I don't believe that students should be able to have sodas and candy in class, but students who are diabetic are routinely allowed to keep needed snacks with them.

I taught at one time. If you have 25+ students in your class, items such as cell phones are a serious distraction and DO detract from learning. When you get a teaching degree and try to teach chemistry or math to a group of 25 kids, many of whom have no interest in science or math you will know what I mean.

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assbutt... to nerdygirl 2013/04/05 19:17:41
T to nerdygirl 2012/07/31 22:32:23

+1
People like you are the reason why America is no longer the land of the free.

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nerdygirl to T 2012/08/05 00:32:46

Oh, please. America isn't free because your algebra teacher doesn't want you screwing around with a cell phone during class? Grow up

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T to nerdygirl 2012/08/06 22:24:49

No. America isn't free because that teacher can enforce a zero tolerance policy on cell phone use. There are legitimate reasons to have and use a cell phone. Being updated on a family emergency (with the phone on silent or vibrate) during art class is one of them. Zero tolerance policies are just bad policies. It is how victims of bullying are expelled more often than the bullies. It is how schools have turned more into a prison-like atmosphere than a nurturing one. Rules need to have room for human judgement and leniency. That is what amendments 4-8 of the Bill of Rights are about. Just because they are kids doesn't mean that they can't be treated like human beings.

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nerdygirl to T 2012/08/12 01:48:50

In one year, there were two columns in my local paper related to this topic. One was a local columnist, one a national columnist. In both cases the writers had gone into classrooms to give talks on journalism to high school students. In both cases the writers were appalled at the rudeness of students who took phone calls and texted instead of paying attention to the speaker.

I know plenty of teachers including relatives. There isn't a school that I have ever heard of that isn't capable of taking calls regarding family emergencies and getting information to students. I have sat in professional meetings, funerals, weddings, church services, movies, plays, and on and on, where rude people take phone calls. You are assuming that in a classroom of 30 high school students, they all have the maturity and judgement to use cell phones without being disruptive or, more likely, interfering with their own learning. Nope. 40 year olds don't have the brains to turn off their phones during funerals, or to not text while driving. This is just one more way to make teachers' jobs more difficult.

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T to nerdygirl 2012/08/16 18:53:26

You keep responding as if I said that cell phones should be unconditionally allowed. My point is that they should only be allowed IN AN EMERGENCY. The arguments you are presenting and the evidence you are bringing fourth to support your position do not address why it would not be a good idea to allow cell phone use IN AN EMERGENCY.

On another note, my high school was too under-staffed to be depended upon to relay important information to students regarding family emergencies. They prohibited use of cell phones/pagers (I was in high school during pagers) unless it was an emergency. The result was the same as if the cell phones/pagers were prohibited outright, except in the rare case of an emergency. (There were 3 or 4 emergencies that warranted cell phone use during my entire high school experience.) I don't think anyone in my high school thought this was a bad policy.

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nerdygirl to T 2012/08/19 00:43:49

I do understand that you think that cell phones should be used only for emergencies and that you think that teachers will be able to enforce this use only for emergencies with little trouble.

I have a sister in law and several friends who are high school teachers. In the real classroom, students, many of whom are addicted to texting, etc. will try to use their cell phones. The teacher will have to take time away from teaching in order to question the student as to what he/she is doing with the cell phone, the student will say that it is an emergency whether it is or not. The teacher will end up in an argument. If the thing goes further than a disruptive argument, the parents will probably side with the student against the teacher. As common as cell phones are now, this would be a common occurrence. Sorry, but this is just one more thing that the teachers have to argue with students about.

As far as the office contacting students, most classrooms today either have a landline, or the teacher has a cell phone. The office only needs to phone the teacher. I honestly don't know if they have PA systems operating anymore.It would be nice if almost all students could have their cell phones and use them responsibly, but given the behavior of adults with cell phones, I'm just not optimist...

I do understand that you think that cell phones should be used only for emergencies and that you think that teachers will be able to enforce this use only for emergencies with little trouble.

I have a sister in law and several friends who are high school teachers. In the real classroom, students, many of whom are addicted to texting, etc. will try to use their cell phones. The teacher will have to take time away from teaching in order to question the student as to what he/she is doing with the cell phone, the student will say that it is an emergency whether it is or not. The teacher will end up in an argument. If the thing goes further than a disruptive argument, the parents will probably side with the student against the teacher. As common as cell phones are now, this would be a common occurrence. Sorry, but this is just one more thing that the teachers have to argue with students about.

As far as the office contacting students, most classrooms today either have a landline, or the teacher has a cell phone. The office only needs to phone the teacher. I honestly don't know if they have PA systems operating anymore.It would be nice if almost all students could have their cell phones and use them responsibly, but given the behavior of adults with cell phones, I'm just not optimistic about that. As I said, they're ringing during funerals, plays, professional presentations, weddings, and drivers are using them while making left hand turns in the busiest intersections of the city. People's judgement just isn't that great.
(more)

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T to nerdygirl 2012/08/20 22:01:16 (edited)

How about if a student is going to use their phone, they need to leave the classroom at the same time. Failure to do so results in dismissal from the classroom (a.k.a. trip to the principle's office) at the first offense (no warnings). This still allows for emergencies without relying on a middle man entity, and provides teachers with the means necessary to keep phones from being a distraction.

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nerdygirl to T 2012/08/26 01:54:27

Leaving the room to use the phone could work, especially if it was on vibrate.

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Amnah Al-Mushiri 2012/07/30 22:51:11

No

+1
Just like passing notes was not permited neither should texting!

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Kenken 2012/07/30 22:37:17

Yes

I say its the students responsibility to pay attention. Its no different then doodling in your notebook.

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JJHoopster121 2012/07/30 22:26:13

Yes

+1
i text in class and still have straight a's :P so...i do it and idgaf :D

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eliotbatchelor 2012/07/30 22:16:35

Yes

+3
With moderation. A teacher I know put it this way, whether a student is texting or looking out the window, the same effect is reached. Students just have to take responsibility for their actions, and if they feel the need to text at that exact moment, then they just have to accept the consequences.

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rudithic 2012/07/30 21:34:45

Only during an emergency

If there was a serial killer or the teacher was a rapist, yes. If you want to talk to your friends, no.

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drdos1943 2012/07/30 21:28:56

No

There is never any reason to text in class. In our school district, all cell phones are to be turned off in class. If a student's cell phone is visible (ear bud included), the cell will be confiscated, and the student's parent can retrieve it as soon as they wish. On the second offense, the cell will be confiscated for a week and can be retrieved by the parent. On the third offense, the student will not see that cell again for the rest of the school year.

However, should students be allowed to have cell phones in school? ...Definitely, if only for safety reasons.Things are not like they used to be.

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assbutt... to drdos1943 2012/07/31 02:15:19

+2
Parents and students pay good money for those phones, and I'm pretty sure taking them for the rest of the school year is violating some sort of law.

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drdos1943 to assbutt... 2012/08/01 12:18:51

The school district could ban cell phones entirely and suspend students for having them on school property if they wished. So far no parent has complained.

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clh1 2012/07/30 21:28:23

Only during an emergency

+1
Or if the teacher used it as a tool... Like texting them an answer? :) what if the parent needed to text the kid? Or grandparent? They need thier phones ... Maybe to walk home?

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☆stillthe12c☆ 2012/07/30 21:04:15

No

+1
Do it on your own time, not class time.

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ebitnet 2012/07/30 20:56:41

No

+4
I'm a college professor. I request that students at least put their phone on vibrate. If a student wants to check his/her email, posts to facebook, etc, I really don't care. It's their money down the drain. My concern is that if a student is texting in class, he or she may be distracting another student...who's also paying good money to take my class. It's rude and unless there's a real emergency, it can wait. If it is an emergency, step outside.

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tooblack 2012/07/30 20:29:02

No

Students should pay full attention during class-multitasking is pretty much a myth if you care about quality anyway. What's so important to talk about that u can't devote your full attention during a class? It's amazing how little attention kids pay to anything today

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Raven 2012/07/30 20:18:35

No

And ye wonder why grades a falling...

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Madii 2012/07/30 20:12:04

Yes

+1
If you want to text then okayy.... But Only for certain grade levels maybe 7th-12th. By 7th grade you should be mature enough to take good notes and pay attention. Its kinda like text at your own risk of failing. But if your grades get out of control then it should be the parents or teachers decison to take the phone away(: Hope This Helpsss!!(: Love Ya(: <3

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Jay Ford 2012/07/30 20:09:02

Yes

+1
Why not? "We" text while driving . . . . . .

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nerdygirl to Jay Ford 2012/07/31 00:12:05

+1
"Why not? "We" text while driving . . . . . "

Yeah, I know. I've almost been hit by a couple of these idiots. And the fact that there are so many idiots texting while driving, including during high risk times, like while making left hand turns, is why I am so cynical about the idea that the average cell phone using student is mature enough to make the decision about whether they can handle the decision in their classes. Sorry, but I'm not impressed with the intelligence level of a good share of the cell phone users.

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brian 2012/07/30 20:03:40

No

No!

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Mean Mommy 2012/07/30 20:00:11

Only during an emergency

No texting, unless an emergency, like fight, shooter, and any other "EVIL" act that seems to be happening these days!

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Sydney.nightshade 2012/07/30 19:41:27

Yes

+1
It should be OK during times where work doesn't have to be done. I know when I was a kid and we were doing some sort of test or something, I was done way ahead of everyone else so I just sat there doodling on extra paper or even my test.

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Tennessee3501 2012/07/30 19:39:56

Only during an emergency

It would have to be a real emergency for reasons of health, etc.

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AvaC 2012/07/30 19:27:10 (edited)

No

+1
I think it's highly annoying, not to mention disrespectful to both the teacher and fellow classmates. When I was in secondary school, people who were caught texting had their phones confiscated and kept for the rest of the school term. They were told not to bring their parents as a means of getting it back before the end of the school term. If they had an emergency, they had to use the phone in the principal's office. Some parents agreed with the punishment, the spoiled brats got new phones in which some of them were again confiscated. They obviously didn't learn the first time.

Cellphones were strictly prohibited during exams. If you were caught with a cellphone inside or even outside the exam room, you were instantly disqualified and you weren't allowed to do the rest of your exams.

I had no use of texting during class, emergency or otherwise. My parents don't text and most of my friends were in school with me.

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assbutt... to AvaC 2012/07/31 02:31:48
AvaC to assbutt... 2012/08/01 00:02:31

+1
I didn't tell you to read it so I honestly don't care how you feel about my response.

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Awesomeclub 2012/07/30 19:14:01

No

+1
They can text outside of school anytime they want, but they need the education that the teacher provides.

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