>>>As a college student myself, I have to say that this guy sounds like a professor that I would avoid taking classes under if at all possible.
The first letter, regarding a person handing in a paper to the wrong professor; not something I’ve done, but it could happen to anyone, especially someone with ADD. It has nothing to do with being a senior. Anybody, student or otherwise, might accidently switch-up some papers. For him to make such a big deal out of it is just him being a grade A a**hole.
Second, the thing about ‘bathroom breaks.’ I agree, people shouldn’t take calls in class, but if somebody wants to leave the room to take a call, go to the bathroom, or whatever, thats not his friggin business. College is not highschool, I pay a sh!tload of money for a service that I will use as I see fit, and no academic windbag is going to tell me I can’t get up. If I want to take a piss I’ll take a damn piss — If I miss something, thats MY responsibilty and problem, not his.<<<<
Says here you signed up at Free Republic about five months ago. And you claim to be a college student. My guess is that you’re in your 20s, maybe early 30s. Of course, you’d avoid a professor like this. He wants to act in a mature manner. If your writing is any indication, you’re not up to the challenge.
No, you don’t have a right to disrupt any group of people anywhere getting up and down because you want to do something. Apparently no one taught you that other people are more important than yourself. That includes bothering a roomful of people to talk on the phone, getting up to pee, stretching your legs, or anything else you want to do that isn’t an absolute emergency. You may not know this, but the simple act of getting up in the middle of a classroom, or a church, or a movie theater, disrupts everyone else.
You also may not have caught Prof. Adams’ subtle statement about the ADD student complaining endlessly about this condition. The student is pictured as a whining infant who uses ADD as an excuse for misbehavior. Adults are responsible for their behavior. Yes, I’m sure that arrogant jerks would think pointing that out makes the person pointing it out an asshole. They’re incorrect. The whiner is the asshole.
I’m guessing that you were raised in the self-esteem era, in which kids were taught that they could do what they wanted where they wanted when they wanted. I’m guessing that’s what ruined you. The good news is that you have to time to grow up. Good luck.
I am in fact a college student, eighteen years of age. You can feel free to doubt that, because I have no way of proving it. I signed up 5 months ago, and I've a lurker since I was about 12 years old (homeschooled of course. My father was in the military, and discipline was enforced.) Again, I have no way of proving these facts, so you'll have to take my word for it. Or not. Your call.
As I said, I don't think people should take calls in class. But getting up and leaving, if I so choose, is nobodies business but my own. Obviously, you have to consider the situation. If you're in a 20 person class in a 40 ft by 40 ft room, getting up and leaving is inappropriate because you can't move without coming in contact with others. On the other hand, if you are in a 300+ person lecture hall (I was last semester and am this semester) getting up is not going to disturb anyone. If an individual in such a scenario feels "disrupted" by seeing people moving about, then that individual needs to get oer himself. Your example of a movie theater or Church is specious; a college lecture hall is neither.
My main gripe with this guy is the superior tone of his letters. I am a responsible adult capable of voting (I do), owning a firearm (I do), and joining the military (I plan on it), and no stuck-up, ivory-tower dwelling, academic windbag is going, for one blessed second, going to think he is a better person than I am.
Many, many college professors are a**holes. If you haven't come in recent contact with one, I suggest you attempt to. Try discussing the military, or Governor Palin's recent speech. Go ahead and see what happens.