Cell phones in class

I almost never write about work. It's not that interesting things don't happen there, but that I don't have or make time to write them down. This one, I had to write down.

While the students were supposed to be doing a quickwrite today, a student was texting under his desk (he sits in the front row because this has been a problem on many occasions). I asked him to bring me his phone; he took his sweet time in doing so, much to the amazement and entertainment of the class. He actually finished the text he was working on first. I was taking roll so I didn't get up to get it.

I put the phone next to my keyboard like usual when I take one up. (I took his up on 3 other occasions--2 on the same day when he gave me a dummy phone the first time!)

At the end of the period, he asked if he could have it back. I said no, this is the third time I've taken yours up. It's going to Ms. W. Talk to her about it.

He argued, saying, "She won't give it back. I've already had it taken up three times."

I said I was sorry he had made the decision to use it in class again.

He started toward my desk like he was going to grab it; I stepped in and picked it up, saying, "Let's take it to her now and talk about it."

(He had taken it from my keyboard drawer on at least one of the prior occasions. I did not intend to let him do so this time.)

He said, "I'm going to turn it off."

I said, "I'll do that."

He started to get upset and used the F word in a couple of ways: "F that!" "This is f-ing ridiculous!"

"I'm going to get my card out!" he said. And he tried to grab the phone out of my hand, at which point it broke into several pieces.

He left, and the few other students who were in the room marvelled at what they'd just witnessed.