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Cartoon by James Huizar

“What we have is more of a high school mentality coming on campus,” said Marcotte. “Let’s be honest. In high school, it’s still not considered cool to be smart, unfortunately.”

Marcotte finds the lack of civility to be disruptive to the learning process.

“Students not being prepared for class and doing everything but class work,” she said. "For example, they are checking their cell phones, they are putting on make up, they are talking to their neighbors, and it’s not about class."

“Students not being prepared for class and doing everything but class work,” she said. "For example, they are checking their cell phones, they are putting on make up, they are talking to their neighbors, and it’s not about class."

According to Marcotte, students would find the whole college experience easier if they adopted some basic rules.

"Academically, students should come having read the assignment. They should be prepared in the sense of text-books, and they should come wanting to learn. As for civility, they should be respectful of everyone else in the room. They should be polite, and they should pay attention to both the instructor and anyone who is speaking," she said
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With most students having family, work, spouse and other responsibilities, the classroom has become the area where most of the learning takes place.

"I pay for my time in class, so when they rob me of time, they rob me of money,” said Landon Wynton Ward, a freshman Computer Technology major. “I expect pretty much the same courtesies I give, like turning off my phone, not making any personal chit chat during class, and showing whoever is speaking some respect.”

Even when the problem of excessive talking occurs, most students won’t say anything to the student or the professor, a fact which leads Dora Lara to believe that little to nothing will ever change.

"In one of my classes, there’s a person who talks through the entire class,” said Lara, a sophomore Psychology major. “It’s a whisper, but it’s just loud enough to where you can hear it, and it bothers the whole class.”

The professor was informed of the student’s behavior but according to Lara, nothing changed.

“They’ve told her several times, but she does it every class,” she said. “I’d feel kind of awkward bringing something like that to the professor’s attention, because then he’ll think I’m complaining about his teaching technique or something.”

Most students agree that telling other students how to behave is not really an option for them. According to Lisa Reyes, a freshman Education major, fear of retaliation and character assassination keep her from speaking up.

"These girls in my class are always talking and no one ever tells them anything," said Reyes. "I don't want to say anything because I don't want them going against me. They're the kind of girls that go around and tell people things about you.”

Reyes admits that she has a confrontational attitude but said, "They act like little kids sometimes, and I don't really need or want that kind of pressure."
Palo Alto is not alone when problems of classroom civility come up.

According to Utah State University Professor Suzanne J. Warma, everyone could use a reminder.

In an excerpt from her 1998 syllabus, Warma wrote, “Everyone who registers for class is an adult. You are legally able to marry without parental consent, buy a home, pay taxes, vote, work, defend your country in military service, etc. You should be adult enough not to disturb others."