By Anthony McConnell

Trail Editor

Do you text message, talk on a cell phone? What about in class? Have you ever taken a call while in class? What about sent a text message?
This is the age of technology, and like it or not almost everyone has a cell phone. Kids in elementary school have them. Kids in middle school have them. Kids in high school have them. And yes even kids in college have them, especially in college. It is this last group to which I would like to speak, and lay down some ground rules.
The following rules apply to cell phone usage in class.
1. Unless someone’s life depends on you having you cell phone on, then turn it off. There are few things more annoying than a phone ringing while in class and nothing will earn you the distain of your professor and classmates faster than a ringing phone.
2. Follow rule number one. Trust me if you follow rule number one, all will be good and better yet your classmates will not want to lynch you after class.
OK, so that was only rule but it is the only rule you need.
Students using cell phones in class is not the only problem related to this issue. Some professors and their relaxed attitudes are also to blame. It seems there needs to be a revamp of policies regarding cell phone usage in class.
So what should be done to students who use their phones in class? They could be kicked out, publicly humiliated or have their grade docked one letter for every phone call. But would this really stop students from using their phones? Probably not. So I ask again, what needs to be done to stop this rude action?
There is one thing that would stop or at least severely curb cell phone usage in classrooms at Northwest College – destruction of the offending phone.
Next time a phone rings or a student sends a text message the phone should be ripped from the student’s hands and smashed in a Gallagher-like fashion. It should only take the annihilation of two or three phones to completely stop cell phone usage in the classrooms of NWC.