[DANmode]

Who said take phones away?

No, teach them some motherfucking respect,

so they know, instinctually, that when someone’s talking to them for 30-60 minutes they should pocket or bag it.

[hollerith]

Teaching them respect sounds a lot harder than just confiscating their phones.

[DANmode]

No doubt,

that’s why the pendulum has swung as far as it, in the direction it has!

That doesn’t make it the right call, necessarily legal in every jurisdiction, or even moral (in certain edge cases).

Calling back to my earlier comment: handing your kid an iPad for all of their free time is easy, too!

[hollerith]

You're supposing that there existed a virtuous past in which parents taught their children respect and that if we returned to that past, there would be no need to ban smartphones in the classroom, and you believe that even though this virtuous past had no smartphones.

[DANmode]

I’m supposing that there are, have been,

and will be,

cultures that exhibit (and socially enforce) basic respect, yes.

Even in the presence of technology.

[kelseyfrog]

Sorry, but childrens' lack of respect was lamented in Antiquity. I don't see that changing in the next 5 years if it hasn't changed in the last 2000.

[DANmode]

As a known exception, not as a rule.

Disrespect toward supposed authority figures as a default is a very modern concept.

[kelseyfrog]

Want to back that up? Because every source I have for the last 2000 years complains it's a new phenomenon.

[DANmode]

Could you clarify your position?

Just reads like you’re agreeing with me, now.

[kelseyfrog]

No, I disagree.

[DANmode]

Okay, finally unraveled your comment:

you’re saying the complaint is that in that era it was also thought of as a new phenomenon.

That makes some sense - it’s been a declining slope, with a huge drop-off point.

But was there also evidence of less-competent people coming out of the end of the machine that’s supposed to produce people to keep the civilization functional?

Probably happened at one time or another - but it was probably also considered a problem……

My original “as a default” verbiage is doing a lot of heavy lifting, but is there for a reason.