Shafinaaz Kamrul / Roundup
“I’m a Barbie girl, in the Barbie world,” sang Richard McMillan, history professor, remembering an incident when a student’s cell phone started ringing in the middle of the class.
“I always try to make a laugh out of it,” said McMillan. “The moment passes and then we can go on. It’s comic relief.”
The usage of cell phones at Pierce College has never been a problem for the faculty- until recently.
The perspective of the teachers changed about two years ago when there was a string of incidents in which students were cheating by way of cell phone.
Students with English as their second language have used cell phones as dictionaries and to communicate with others.
“If the answer from another student comes back in Farsi or Korean, I would not know,” said McMillan.
There have also been instances when a student would have a friend with an open book outside the class, and text them for the answer to a tough question.
Some people would take a photograph of the test on their phone camera and pass it on to friends in a later class.
This has become a problem not only at Pierce, but also at schools throughout the country.
This is why a lot of the teachers have included a note in their syllabus about a ban on the usage of cell phones during class hours.
“It is extremely disrespectful to the teachers when students receive phone calls during class,” said Nora Knadjian, a psychology major at Pierce.
“I see students in my class have their cell phones ringing, and two minutes later they are already outside the class talking to their friends. It distracts other students, and it is very rude.”
“As far as cheating is concerned, if you would be using your cell phone to cheat in your exams, then why bother attending school?” asked Knadjian.
“When a student comes to class, we have made an appointment,” said McMillan. “He made an appointment to be in front of me at 9:45 a.m. Right now there should be no body in this room as important as me.”
Pierce student Manuel Andrade, 26, feels that the cell phones should never be used in class, under any circumstances. “I think it’s just as bad as being unprofessional and using cell phones at work.” said Andrade.
“It should be turned off unless you think there might be a emergency. At least it should be put on silent mode.”
Jeffrey Dotson, 20, feels differently.
“We should be able to use cell phones in class,” said Dotson.
“As long as the student walks out of the class when he gets a phone call, I don’t see where the problem is.”
A lot of the students find it very disturbing when there is a student sitting beside them in class and continually exchanging text messages on his cell phone.
The school does not have a particular rule in its “student’s code of conduct” regarding cell phones; however, there are a lot of the rules that it connects back to.
For example, the college code of conduct, section 9803.17, refers to the “interference with the peace of college” and this includes use of cell phones to disrupt a peaceful learning environment at school.
Section 9803.15 is also related as it is about the “disruption of classes”.
Section 9803.10 about “willful disobedience” and 9803.11 about “violation of college rules and regulations” are relevant as well.
“Even though I have never had a teacher refer a student to me for this issue, if they are referred they would be punishable by both the school and the sheriff’s department,” said David Follosco, dean of student services.
A student can be suspended from the school if they refuse to abide by the rules of the classroom, including the wrongful use of cell phones, just like they could be for cheating.
“We are an institution of higher learning, and we are here because we want to be here,” said Follosco. “A lot of people give up a lot to be here and they have a right to have education free from outside disturbances.”
“In a way, disrupting classes by the use of phones is kind of like stealing,” added McMillan.
“If they take time away from the lecture then they take the time that I can’t give to my student. And the student pays for my time because they want to buy my knowledge.”
Another teacher with a “cell phone rule” in his classroom is Jim Dawson, from the political science department. Interestingly, the rules that he laid down on the paper were not made by him but by his students.
“A few years back a couple of students complained to me that they were having problems concentrating in class because of the students who come in late, talk and use their cell phones in class,” said Dawson, cf auto root apk at the first session of his Political Science 2 class this fall. “That is why they made these rules on behalf of the entire class.”
“Out of fairness, can’t use cell phones. Out of courtesy to other students, can’t use cell phones. And out of respect for your professor you should not use cell phone in class,” stated McMillan.
The teachers, however, remembered a couple of times when the cell phone incidents provided nothing but humorous for their class.
McMillan remembered one such incident when a student, standing right outside his classroom, was engaged in a conversation on her phone.
“She was telling a friend about a date she had last night, and she even told her about what they did when they went back to her house,” recollected McMillan.
“We just stopped the class as it was hard to not hear how she described the most intimate scenes and even positions.”
When people talk on their cell phones a lot of the times they do not seem to realize how loud they are and act like they are mentally in a bubble. They become blind to their surroundings.
“It is funny how much bullshit people talk about, especially with their boyfriends and girlfriends, when they are on their cell phone,” said Pierce student Yaniv Baron.
“They don’t realize how loud they are and a lot of the things they say is just plain funny or embarrassing.”
Perhaps a more shocking story was that of a man who stood in front of McMillan’s class and kept talking and disturbing the class until the professor had to go out and ask him to move.
“Hey, I’m on the phone, don’t bother me,” replied the man.
“He sounded like he had a constitutional right to be annoyed at me,” said McMillan.
“If only the students have common courtesy, I would like to have a campus with as less rules as possible.”
There are a lot of schools where the use of cell phones is banned within 30 feet of where classes are being held. Pierce has nothing more than signs that read “Please be Quiet. Classes in Session.”
If we want our school to remain this was then we must learn to follow some basic rules. Just say McMillan said, “Turn off your cell phones. Pay attention. Do your homework. Read your book. Stand up straight.”
Brad Austin, 18, steals a moment, and a text message in class Monday. (Gil Riego Jr. / Roundup)
