Note: This post was written by a guest author.
Most of us have seen children with their eyes glued to a phone screen and their thumbs flying as they text. This is a major part of socializing among young people. Some become so attached to their cell phones that they refuse to put them down (addicted?). They send messages before, during and after their classes in school, and even while driving. (Texting while driving is considered more dangerous than driving while drunk or on drugs.)
Do children learn how to actually speak to each other when their main communication link is by text message? Golly, children seem to believe it’s easier to text someone than it is to take two or three steps and talk to them. I believe children are becoming more and more isolated because their face-to-face social skills are so weak. Is this why they resort to sexting — children send crude messages and nude photos of themselves hoping to be liked. Do they see the danger in this?
Our younger generation has grown up with computers and hand held gizmos like iPads, iPods, and iPhones. Sadly, many have learned how to cheat in the classroom by texting test questions, then immediately receiving the answers. Given enough time, a child could search for answers to every question on a test. So, what are we testing? Search skills? Keyboard dexterity? Honesty and ethics?
Are we raising a generation of fools who know how to retrieve answers to questions on their cell phones? But, are they learning how to think? Are they learning how to talk with each other? Do they know how to play with each other?
These questions really scare me. I’m afraid of the answers. We need to take immediate action before our generation of fools walks out of school.