Seriously, what's the matter with college students today? As the snotty waiter in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" said, "I weep for the future."
#1. University of Florida Student Tasered at On-Campus Political Event
In my personal opinion, Andrew Meyer was being obnoxious. Despite my feelings, the fact is that he was resisting the police ... not exactly behavior that's going to go over well with law enforcement officials. According to the police report [pdf], he was quoted as saying, “I am not mad at you guys. You didn’t do anything wrong, you were just trying to do your job.”
#2. MIT Student Arrested at Logan International Airport with Fake Bomb
| "A woman was arrested by state police at Logan International Airport on Friday after she was found with a fake bomb, state police said.
State police said Star Simpson, 19, approached an airport information desk with a computer circuit board, wiring and Play-Doh in her hands and asked about an arriving passenger, said State Police Maj. Scott Pare, the commanding officer at the airport.
"She claims that it was just art and she was proud of the art and wanted to display it. I am not sure why she had the Play-Doh in her hands. She could not explain that," Pare said. Pare said the device had wires connected to a battery, allowing it to light up. ...
On her Web site, Simpson described herself as someone who loves "crazy ideas" and has been "traveling the world and saving the planet from evil villains with my delivered-just-in-time gadgets." She went on to say she is an inventor, artist, engineer and student who loves to build things." |
And this young woman attends Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an extremely prestigious institution of higher learning! I'll take a "regular" working Joe or Jane over an irresponsible, Play-Doh wearing "inventor/artist/engineer" any ol' day of the week.
#3. Two Delaware State University Students Shot
| CNN.com is currently reporting, "Police said they were interviewing a student who is a "person of interest" in Friday's shooting of two other students at Delaware State University. The university was on lockdown after the early morning shootings near the Memorial Hall sports arena. Someone in the area started shooting a gun as a group of eight to 10 students left a cafe about 1 a.m. ET Friday, said school Police Chief James Overton. "Approximately four to six shots were fired," said Overton." |
This is still unravelling currently, so it's too soon to say that a student was responsible for the shootings. But who isn't reminded of the Virginia Tech tragedy? My point is that online and distance learners should feel particularly safe studying from the comforts of home - away from the deadly acts of aggressions that unfortunately seem so much more prevalent in today's classrooms!
Online students are older, with children (counting spouses, ha ha ha!) and mostly established careers, if not at least several years of full-time work experience under their belts.
That being said, I'm a fairly independent learner (I usually prefer to seek out and digest information on my own, without relying on others for the bulk of the transmission of knowledge), but I do know that I can learn a great deal from my fellow online learners. Why? Because my peers are, like me, working professionals, and, well, adults - most of whom have mortgages, established opinions about politics, and common sense ...
Now I'm not saying there aren't any political zealots, odd birds, or gun-toting madmen enrolled in
online degree programs, but, for today, I'm thankful these folks aren't my peers and that I won't have to collaborate on a group projects with 'em!