Curbing Boorish Conduct in the Classroom

Today's topic is how to curb rude and disruptive behavior by students in the classroom. This question seems to have touched a nerve, as we have gotten several good questions in advance. Hopefully you all will send in more questions during the next hour -- and feel free to submit a comment if you have come up with a novel way to manage your classroom that you would like to share.

Our guest is Gary Pavella, from University of Maryland, who has experience advising colleges on the issue. Thanks for joining us today, Gary.

Gary has prepared a bit of background information in advance, I believe.

http://www.collegepubs.com/ref/SFX000911.shtml

This case study originally appeared in my publication Synfax Weekly Report (Synfax@collegepubs.com). It's not a set of circumstances you're likely to encounter, but it does stress a point I'd like to reiterate today:

***[T]eachers who state reasonable expectations early, and enforce them consistently, help students avoid the harsher consequences that flow from serious infractions later.***

The issue of academic freedom may also arise in our discussion. Here's the URL for a relevant article I wrote for AAUP's Academe

http://www.aaup.org/publications/academe/01nd/01ndpav.htm

A Supreme Court decision spelling out student First Amendment rights in the classroom is Tinker v. Des Moines (1969). See:

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=393&invol=503

A Supreme Court case highlighting student First Amendment rights in general is Rosenberger v. University of Virginia (1995). The Court observed that:

***Vital First Amendment speech principles are at stake here . . . In ancient Athens, and, as Europe entered into a new period of intellectual awakening, in places like Bologna, Oxford, and Paris, universities began as voluntary and spontaneous assemblages or concourses for students to speak and to write and to learn. See generally R. Palmer & J. Colton, A History of the Modern World 39 (7th ed. 1992). The quality and creative power of student intellectual life to this day remains a vital measure of a school's influence and attainment. For the University, by regulation, to cast disapproval on particular viewpoints of its students risks the suppression of free speech and creative inquiry in one of the vital centers for the nation's intellectual life, its college and university campuses.***

Finally, a Model Code of Student Conduct that encompasses classroom disruption can be found at:

http://www.collegepubs.com/ref/ModelCdeStuCndt.shtml

Here's a relevant selection from the Model Code:

"Standards of Classroom Behavior

11. The primary responsibility for managing the classroom environment rests with the faculty. Students who engage in any prohibited or unlawful acts that result in disruption of a class may be directed by the faculty member to leave the class for the remainder of the class period. Longer suspensions from a class, or dismissal on disciplinary grounds, must be proceeded by a disciplinary conference or hearing . . ."

Thanks for participating today!

I can see that a student's refusing to leave the classroom would create a worse situation.

What do you think?

Gary Pavela:
    Greetings!

I would avoid pre-determined solutions to all factual situations. Depending on your reading of the classroom climate, it might be best to tell a student to leave *or* adjourn the class. But these are normally last steps.

For the most part, I recommend progressive discipline--starting with a general observation to the class (e.g. "there's too much side-chatter today"); to a friendly individual reminder ("Jane, I love the color of your cell-phone, but please turn it off during class"); to a private conversation with a student after class; to a warning that the behavior is becoming disruptive and a violation of institutional rules. Finally, if the disruptive behavior is on-going, I might tell a student to leave. Please see the language in my Model Code of Student Conduct posted in the announcement. Of course, in the context of any threatening conduct or behavior I'd call the campus police immediately.

It's best if your institution (as suggested in the Model Code) gives you explicit authority to remove a student for the remainder of a class. Still, unless there are contrary policies on your campus, teachers have inherent authority to manage the classroom environment, consistent with relevant Constitutional and statutory standards (e.g respecting student First Amendment rights).

A good court opinion you might want to read on this subject is Settle v. Dickson County School Board (6th Cir. 1995). Anyone reading this message can send me an e-mail at gpavela@collegepubs.com and I'll arrange to send a free copy to you. Please say "Synfax case request" in the subject line and include your fax number.

Finally, I recommend developing a short syllabus statement about your classroom expectations, discussed at the first class meeting. A touch of humor in that initial discussion might help--as well as asking students to share some of their "horror stories" about rude classroom behavior they've encountered elsewhere in the past. Student peer support for good classroom conduct may be stronger than you initially suspect.

Most institutions have disciplinary regulations pertaining to students. Serious incidents of classroom disruption should be referred for resolution under those regulations.

Certainly there is a role for faculty members in helping to prevent classroom disruption, and responding to disruption approprately when it occurs. Prevention is the key. As suggested in my last response, I would identify and discuss your standards for classroom conduct at the outset of the course. I would also invite students in the course to explain to their peers why classroom disruption is objectionable to them.

Perhaps there will be some areas of disagreement (e.g. talking during films). At that point it's reasonable for you to offer guidance and make a final decision. You're the teacher and "manager" of the class. You want to be informed by student insights, but the final responsibility is yours. The key is to have a rational basis for whatever standards you define (e.g. talking during films has limited value to the people talking, but is a major disruption to you and many students in the class). Take a moment to explain the basis for your decision.

On the diversity theme, let me offer a broad, conceptual example. We have a diverse nation. But we also have a set of rules (the Constitution) that *protects* that diversity. Defining and enforcing reasonable rules can enhance freedom, in the same way that traffic rules can enhance mobility.

I teach a graduate course at a nearby university with 40 students. No-one has ever been on cell phones or disruptive. At the college level attendance should not be required and students who do not act respectful should simply be asked to leave. They can show up to take the exam and get their grade but there should be no question of tolerating disrespectful behavior. You seem to be describing the price we pay of prolonging childhood into advanced adulthood.

MODERATOR's NOTE: Earlier in the chat, Gary posted the following link as one resource which might help: http://www.collegepubs.com/ref/ModelCdeStuCndt.shtml But please reply if others out there know of other resources... thanks!

Each factual situation will be different, but generally I would not rush from the room myself. I'd ask a trusted student to make the call (perhaps on one of those cell phones I just disparaged). Then, to the best of my ability, I'd use what words I could muster to defuse the situation. In all probability, the person making the threat is intensely frightened, or senses he or she is not "respected." I would not try to add fuel to those emotions.

Let me stress how rare these situations are. Data about job safety show that college teachers have one of the safest jobs around. One of our biggest mistakes is misjudging incivility or ignorance as some kind of threat. Sometimes we make bad situations worse by taking counsel of our fears.

Here's a case you might find helpful:

Salehpor v. University of Tennessee 159 F. 3d 199 (1998) (enforcement of classroom rule prohibiting first year dental students from sitting in last row of certain classes did not infringe the First Amendment rights of a student who refused to comply with the rule due to her on-going "power-struggle" with the University). The court wrote:

"The rights afforded to students to freely express their ideas and views without fear of administrative reprisal, must be balanced against the compelling interest of the academicians to educate in an environment that is free of purposeless distractions and is conducive to teaching. Under the facts of this case, the balance weighs in favor of the University."

And thanks again to Gary for the thoughtful replies.