Texting Students Force Professor to Walk Out of Class
We've all had professors who had some absurdly strict class room rules, or a bizarre passive aggressive streak, but Syracuse University professor Laurence Thomas has combined both, much to the ire of his students and their parents.
The rule: No texting in class. A perfectly understandable rule. And one that really the students should have no problem following. But professor Thomas' way of dealing with texting students is more akin to an six year-old holding his breath until he gets that toy he so badly wants. No, Thomas isn't holding his breath at the front of the lecture hall until he simply passes out -- that would be hilarious. Instead, when professor Thomas catches a student texting, he simply walks out of class.
Naturally parents and students, who are spending over $30K a year on this education, are a little peeved. They claim that Thomas has a responsibility to teach or pay up. Thomas on the other hand seems to think his students need to learn a thing or two about respect.
Undeniably, the students shouldn't be texting during class, but the professor's sweeping punishment of the entire class for the actions of one student lead us to believe this guy was teaching sixth graders not that long ago. Then again, at least he's not reacting like the guy in the video above.
From Jossip
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Blue @ Apr 7th 2008 1:29PM
I'm with the professor on this one. Our society seems to be teetering out of control and disrespect is disrespect. Nothing else seems to work but actions like his that provoke conversations. I wonder if the "peeved" parents who are shelling out 30K are peeved at their kids for not taking the education they're getting seriously.
Megan @ Apr 7th 2008 1:52PM
I'm a college student, and i'm not going to waste my time texting someone. You must get your money's worth from school. I believe the professor did the right thing! Because the kid wasn't respecting the professor or his/her classmates.
littlewing1217 @ Apr 7th 2008 1:52PM
I also have to agree with the prof on this one. Texting in class is a sign of disrespect and disregard for the money that students and their parents shell out for an education. However, I think he should eject the offenders, not the folks who are paying attention. If they get ejected enough times and start falling behind in their course work, maybe it'll start to sink in.
astone1055 @ Apr 7th 2008 2:12PM
I think the professor should eject kids from the class who cannot follow the rules. There is no reason to punish the rest of the class for other classmates' mistakes. Once the student is ejected enough times then he/she may learn how disrespectful texting is while in class or any other place. I find it especially irritating when you are talking to someone and they are texting someone else. I don't know about you but I find it hard to concentrate while reading and talking to someone at the same time. I tend to pay more attention to my reading and not the person I having the conversation. It is all a matter of respect.
Beth @ Apr 7th 2008 2:23PM
I'd have that coming if I were texting instead of paying attention.
I'd be incredibly angry if I was paying attention to the lecture.
The professor should ask the students who aren't paying attention to leave, not punish the entire class.
tracyknox@aol.com @ Apr 7th 2008 2:36PM
I have a feeling that the professor has tried removing the offender in the past--but with today's society I suspect that was not too successful. Now the peers need to step up and take action against their texting peers. believe me I had a teacher who used to walk out when a class refused to pay attention and it sent a stronger message than any yelling ever did!
Peter Gail @ Apr 7th 2008 2:54PM
The logic behind this is that peer pressure from those not texting who are losing out on the education will force those who are being disrespectful to stop texting. Same thing happens on tour buses. You get 50 people together on a bus, and two or three insist on talking, keeping the rest of the people from hearing what the narrator is saying. I am one of those narrators who just stops talking until the disrespectful ones quiet down. Usually it is the folks around them who show their displeasure at not being able to learn what they have paid good money to get out of tour experience. I am totally on the professor's side here. It is a community problem and the community has to take the initiative to impose order on those who are disrespectful.
Valerie P. @ Apr 7th 2008 4:10PM
As a fairly recent college grad, I completely agree with this tactic. Dismissing one student will not solve the problem by any means - it never did. But when a professor walks out on the entire class, and turns them on their classmates - now that always worked! Esp. when youre paying so much! Good for the prof-wish more conducted their classes in such a way and demanded the same respect that he did.
john motto @ Apr 7th 2008 4:35PM
I'm 100% behind the professor. All it will take is some peer pressure from those who are not texting but getting "punished" just the same, and no one will text in that class again.
kgsurfs @ Apr 7th 2008 4:45PM
The writer is off-base and the Professor is correct to walk out on the students if even one is found texting during class. If one student wants to text during class s/he will be showing their disrespect of the teacher and their classmates. They will be better off staying home.
Jennifer Kagan @ Apr 7th 2008 7:08PM
As a college professor, I see respect and propriety going out the window in a major way these days. It is RIDICULOUS what we now have to put up with in terms of behavior from (mainly) our undergraduate students. Good for Thomas! It's a way of getting attention on the issue that yes, students are paying money for their education (or their parents are) but if they are so rude to text during class, guess who are the sixth graders folks? It's not "customer service" as one student rudely said to me when I wouldn't give her an A because she "tried real hard." Personally, I'd set the ground rules of absolutely no cell phones, texting during class etc. that would be MY way, but I understand WHY Thomas would resort to such measures folks. FIGURE IT OUT.
Diane @ Apr 7th 2008 11:42PM
Ok, HELLLOOOO.... Professor is in the right here.... key words "paying upwards of 30,000 to go to the school." And if my kid were texting during class, I would be all over HER about that for wasting my money...not the professor. I teach high school...texting is BAD. And grades are slipping because of it... Go you, professor.... I'm with you in spirit (if not in practice...I have supervisory duties that prevent me from being able to walk out).
bingo @ Apr 8th 2008 5:27PM
http://guanabee.com/2008/04/syracuse-professor-has-us-all.php
You ignored the biggest problem this story presents - Thomas made disparaging remarks about students based on their ethnicity. That was the issue being addressed, not the cell phones. I went to Syracuse and had to deal with his crap before. He's a total jackass.
Danyell @ Apr 12th 2008 2:24PM
I agree with the professor that something needs to be done about the rudeness of these students. He is there to teach and these kids are there to learn. I would have halted the class and brought attention to the distraction right then and there. Ask the student to leave and not punish the entire class for one careless and rude child. I would also implement a system that would deduct points whenever the phone was brought out and the texting would begin. I wonder how the parents would act if the teacher took out their phone and did the same thing? I would be furious and would expect some action to be taken.
Zman @ Apr 13th 2008 10:53PM
Bravo to the prof on all counts.
Alex @ Apr 17th 2008 9:49PM
I think the professor is right to walk out. Sometimes, and it's unfortunate, you have to punish the whole group to get the point across to the one. It's not the first time that's had to happen.
Kshaw @ May 2nd 2008 8:28AM
What people don't realize is that if the professor just kicked out only the student texting then there is very high chance that no one will learn the lesson of respect that he is trying to get across. I believe that the professor is trying to also get those who were paying attention to the lecture to get angry too. A student is more likely to not repeat the behavior if the entire group has something to lose as apposed to just the one at fault. The difference is one person getting angry or an entire class angry at one person. HUGE difference.
It is even more baffling to me that the parents take the side of the students. Are the serious? They are the ones spending over $30,000 a year and their child is sitting the classroom wasting every penny of it.