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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More polls by SodaHead Living

Aksana 2012/07/30 16:41:52

No

nope

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Digman14 2012/07/30 16:30:39

Only during an emergency

I was thinking of calling, but no, under no circumstances should texting be allowed in class. If it's really that important or urgent, people should CALL, and the teacher should be notified before class if it's an expected call.

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Andre 2012/07/30 16:16:11

No

Absolutely not, one should pay attention and ALL subjects are of some use in later life, even the Bible even if you do not believe, give you, in that perspective, an insight in legends and their effects. Emergency, what emergency ? If something dreadfull or terrible happened at your home or your family, then the news should "trickle dosn" through the chain of command, meaning from the pricipal down to the pupil

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BloodlessVeins 2012/07/30 16:10:30

No

Doesn't mean they still don't do it.

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Quothetheraven79 2012/07/30 16:09:14

Yes

It won't matter. If a kid wants to text they are going to text!

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Lucy Krueger 2012/07/30 16:08:00

Yes

+1
Depends on the subject.If it's a useless subject that you will never need in the real world, like Bible, then it's okay.

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Thank you but no... 2012/07/30 16:02:42

No

Neither is it tolerated. A student doing this in a British school would have his/her phone confiscated at least for the rest of the day.

And in an emergency one would just dial 911 or 999 and forget about texting.

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koolkat 2012/07/30 15:57:22

Only during an emergency

+1
If your mom texts you with an emergency!!

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~EL to koolkat 2012/07/30 17:25:57

+1
Then she should go through the proper chanels: Call the school office first and speak with the principle, who will then notify your teacher, and then you.

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waterlady 2012/07/30 15:56:28

No

Cell phone should be ban in class. If you are texting you are not taking notes and listening to the teacher. We didn't have them when I was young and cell phones are NOT needed.

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Dolly 2012/07/30 15:49:07

Only during an emergency

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~EL to Dolly 2012/07/30 17:26:52

What emergency could be so important that a child should know about it before the adults?

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Pilot337 2012/07/30 15:41:31

No

No. Absolutely not. Teaching is already a very difficult job with today's teenagers...and some of their parents...students are in class to learn, not socialize. And for those who checked "Only during an emergency," do you know what constitutes an emergency for a teenager? For those with their hands up to give the answer, "Whatever they want to do at that moment," extra credit for you today. I realize this sounds cynical, but after 30+ years of being in the classroom as a teacher, it's accurate. We need to remove their distractions and understand they are in school to LEARN. Is it sexy, hip, always fascinating? No. We can't compete, nor should we have to, with the multimedia technology available to teens today.

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aleksan... to Pilot337 2012/07/30 19:11:21

The problem is that you can't make a kid learn if he or she doesn't want to no matter how hard you try. If you restrict access to everything but the teacher and the book the kid will just stare at the ceiling. The only way to induce learning is to interest the child. As a student going into the engineering field who has observed this phenomenon in class for the past 6 years, I feel like I have enough credibility to offer this up as at least a well tested theory.

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Pilot337 to aleksan... 2012/07/31 16:22:04

"The problem is that you can't make a kid learn if he or she doesn't want to no matter how hard you try."

You are absolutely correct. Believe me, I've tried. But what you're really talking about here is the law that gives us the gift [warning: sarcasm alert!] of compulsory education. What a wonderful idea! Like many laws, it means well, but just causes trouble. Again, I know this sounds cynical, but in the 6 years of your experience, didn't you ever notice that there was a certain percentage of your peers who JUST DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE?!? Some of that group just try to slip into a coma, but the rest of them actively try to make trouble. You know why private schools look so good with their results? They don't have to put up with that crap. The public schools have to take everyone, from the brightest to the dumbest, and work with that mix. If I could have had only the students who were motivated to learn, I could have made incredible progress. People don't place value on the things they're forced to do. In fact, a certain percentage are resentful. They don't see it as "paying their dues," working on things they will benefit from later. We've pretty much lost that concept in America. Then give that unmotivated student a portable entertainment center and it's easy to see which...

"The problem is that you can't make a kid learn if he or she doesn't want to no matter how hard you try."

You are absolutely correct. Believe me, I've tried. But what you're really talking about here is the law that gives us the gift [warning: sarcasm alert!] of compulsory education. What a wonderful idea! Like many laws, it means well, but just causes trouble. Again, I know this sounds cynical, but in the 6 years of your experience, didn't you ever notice that there was a certain percentage of your peers who JUST DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE?!? Some of that group just try to slip into a coma, but the rest of them actively try to make trouble. You know why private schools look so good with their results? They don't have to put up with that crap. The public schools have to take everyone, from the brightest to the dumbest, and work with that mix. If I could have had only the students who were motivated to learn, I could have made incredible progress. People don't place value on the things they're forced to do. In fact, a certain percentage are resentful. They don't see it as "paying their dues," working on things they will benefit from later. We've pretty much lost that concept in America. Then give that unmotivated student a portable entertainment center and it's easy to see which choice they'll make. Delayed versus instant gratification. Guess which one wins today.

"The only way to induce learning is to interest the child."

What, you think we TRY to be boring? Are you wishing that your classroom would resemble something you've seen on TV or in the movies? Do you notice they never show a class from beginning to end? That you see 30-60 seconds of witty dialogue some writer polished and an interesting/handsome/beautiful actor or actress recited, with rapt extras in the class hanging on every word, followed by the bell ringing to close the scene? Oddly, you never see the other 50-some minutes of lecture or work where ideas are presented and expounded upon, perhaps dry information that isn't as sparkling as that last minute you actually see. Then multiply that by 5 days per week for the school year. It isn't all going to be sparkling and sexy.
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Liz 2012/07/30 15:41:01

Only during an emergency

This is the only time you should be able to text phones should be turned off while in school or on vibrate

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bacon.nivison 2012/07/30 15:37:29

Yes

+1
If you want to spend your class time texting, instread of learning, that should be your freedom. As long as your texting doesn't get in my way, as would talking, feel free.

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cass 2012/07/30 15:35:32

No

+1
It depend on the emerg.otherwise NO...

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Hamilton 2012/07/30 15:30:18

No

+1
the school should have a system where the only number that can be called from school is 911. There is too much BS and CHEATING going on via cell phones.

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3kidsandamom 2012/07/30 15:26:03

No

+1
There's no reason for students to have phones on during class time. I'm sorry but school is for learning not just a time for socializing with friends.

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Loneseer 2012/07/30 15:17:29

Only during an emergency

Otherwise texting is as destracting in school as it is in cars and walking. Wish they'd never invented those annoying little things.

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snowleopard09 2012/07/30 15:16:46

No

I will say that our school became more lax in regard to the use of cell phones during passing periods and lunch last school year, and cell phone use in class decreased sharply as a result. It's a win-win - the students get more freedom, and pay more attention in class as well.

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cissie 2012/07/30 15:16:26

No

+1
i was a teacher since 1952 .... along long time...subbed till 2008... i did not allow even a calculator in my classes... i taught math and language arts.... in junior high... all tools like that were left at my desk upon entering ... so if a message came during that class time, they could check after they left the room... (not even watches with any sound alarm on themi were allowed...) i would feel the ame today.l.. it is difficult enough to keep the focus on the subject material...

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AndyBoy 2012/07/30 15:14:01

No

+2
You're there to learn...not to socialize.

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Swordfish 2012/07/30 15:13:33

Yes

I say yes, but only in moderation. If you need to shoot a text to your buddy to say "hey, let's meet up after school @ Dairy Queen and study a bit," then that's fine. If you're planning on having a full conversation, then definitely not.

And you should also save your texting for a time in the class that's not important, like when you're moving desks and such.

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skyster 2012/07/30 15:03:39

No

+2
All phones should be OFF during class. No texting, no talking. Not even emergencies. Any emergency can go through the administration. Itʻs actually more efficient and less disruptive. If an administrator pulls a student from a class itʻs "official" and not questioned as it would be if the student gets a call and simply says, "I gotta go".

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Proud 2012/07/30 15:02:18
Shadow Warrior 2012/07/30 15:01:34

No

+1
We're paying tax $ or tuition for kids to learn, not be social butterflies. Place the damn phone on mandatory Silence Mode and penalize anybody violating the rule.

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wes 2012/07/30 14:59:49

No

+1
Not even during an emergency, define emergency I guess, if you're texting, you're not giving your undivided attention, which is even more critical in emergency type situations! You're in school for a reason, if you're too smart, then take advanced classes while they're free, if you're not in to the whole school thing, then take your GED equivalency test and get out! But whatever you do, get the diploma, it doesn't get any easier to go back and do it later....

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Dadgi 2012/07/30 14:58:23

No

+1
What has happened to our schools. We could not even ware prescription sun glasses.

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Ellen S. 2012/07/30 14:57:31

No

+1
Certainly not! School is for learning, not for gossip.

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iHeartChopin 2012/07/30 14:54:04

Only during an emergency

there are times where the someone needs to get to student when the office cannot, like severe weather or terrorist/crazy person on campus with a gun

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Semper Fi to iHeartC... 2012/07/30 15:00:29

+2
BS!

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iHeartC... to Semper Fi 2012/08/01 02:15:33

Maybe a bit farfetched, but entirely plausible

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skyster to iHeartC... 2012/08/03 15:51:16

OK - Letʻs go to that extreme. Say, a student is hiding from the gun man - until his phone rings!!!

Seriously, if the sky is falling the only rule to follow is "donʻt panic".

In the real world phones donʻt belong in the classroom. Ever. Emergencies go through the office. Every other communication can wait.

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PeeDonkeyPit 2012/07/30 14:53:51

Only during an emergency

For the most part, one still needs to actually be paying attention to learn...

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mikeyavelli 2012/07/30 14:53:19

No

no, only though, if you are texting quiz answers to the teacher.

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WAYNE ROSE 2012/07/30 14:51:41

No

your there the learn... do it the old fashioned way... pass a note

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Krissy 2012/07/30 14:47:20

No

No!! No no no. You're there to learn, not chat with your friends.

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NarcolepticGoat 2012/07/30 14:46:59

No

The kind of emergency from the outside serious enough to juaridy a text should be handled by calling the administration and the kid being taken out of class.

The kind of emergency for the kid that is serious enough to justify texting should be handled by a teacher calling whichever emergency service is appropriate.

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