by Shaj Mathew

In the purse, under the desk, or behind the book bag, text-messaging has emerged as a popular and relatively easy activity for students to surreptitiously get away with in school, according to the students themselves.

“It is easy to text in class—just hide your phone,” said a senior boy, whose identity, like that of any other student interviewed, will be kept anonymous for fear of reprisal.

“It’s not out of boredom, it’s just a habit,” said one junior girl who texts frequently. She also admitted that text-messaging in class is nearly ubiquitous and more prevalent among girls than boys. Boys confirmed these perceptions, with one bluntly affirming, “Girls text more—they have purses and talk a lot.”

Students also indicated they felt that teachers looked the other way while they texted. Sending about 10 texts per day, one senior boy stated, “Ill put it this way, they know I’m not picking up the pencil I dropped.” Another junior boy, who estimates sending about 20 messages per day, reasoned, “Some teachers don’t bother since I have a good grade in the class.”

However, AP and Honors Physics teacher Ms. Gridley asserted that texting has not been a problem, at least in her classes. “They do it, but not extensively,” said Gridley, while also acknowledging the fact that she has “caught a few kids” firing off text-messages in her class.

The pervasiveness of text-messaging poses another problem for teachers like Gridley: test security. Students could feasibly send answers or hints to fellow students via cell phone, destroying the integrity of an entire test with a few mere keystrokes.

Gridley, however, has taken a simple step to reduce potential cheating through text-messaging. “I don’t give multiple choice tests,” declared the Physics and Engineering Team sponsor. “I think [cheating via text-message] is hurting the students themselves.”

Students, despite being cognizant of these negative consequences of text-messaging in school, continue to send texts. “I understand that texting could be distractive,” conceded one junior boy. “However, if you don’t distract others from learning, then you should be allowed to text.”

And upon seeing a student furiously typing a text to a friend in her purse with alacrity – and impunity – this sophomore’s argument becomes somewhat more palatable: “Texting does and will always occur, so why try to stop it.”