During the last couple of weeks, I have found myself battling a frustrating distraction that I take issue with: students talking during lectures. What upsets me is not that many students tend to talk during lectures; I don’t mind students conversing in low voices to help each other understand a lesson. As long as they aren’t excessive, such exchanges are conducive to learning. However, some students speak with what appears to be sheer scorn and disrespect towards their professors or other students. These are the ones I can’t stand.

These people, as opposed to those who talk for more salutary purposes, are usually much more easily heard. One can pick up the tone of disrespect in their unrestrained, acid-like voices halfway across the lecture hall. “Haha, he confused the variables again; what does he think he is doing?” This would be about the professor, who no doubt can hear them in many of the situations. “Why would he ask such a stupid question? It’s explained already.” This would be about a fellow student. “I f****** hate this class.” I don’t understand what this is about at all, but I do feel an impulse to ask back, “Why the f*** are you here?”

We are free to like or hate a class or to personally judge a professor. We might have justifiable reasons to do this. A few things, though: Making loud, arrogant comments full of disrespect isn’t so conducive to learning for others who are really trying to engage in a class. A class one hates could be a class others enjoy. Why force your opinion and hinder others’ studies?

Professors can make mistakes. They are human after all. But I would be very, very cautious (meaning I wouldn’t) to disrespect his or her knowledge or abilities merely for a few mistakes or because I don’t personally like the professor. Say personal things personally. Don’t deride the professor in his or her class. Chances are that you wouldn’t ever walk up to the professor and prove that you are better. I’ve witnessed, on several occasions, that some students might take something the professor wrote on the board as a mistake and laugh about it, only to find him later explaining a good reason for his intentions. The students would then say “Oh, oh yeah, yeah I guess you could see it that way,” which to me is nothing more than the lamest euphemism for “I didn’t know what the heck I was talking about but still wanted to swagger because I am not grown up enough.” Why so weak now after all those bold remarks and laughter?

What about this, though, is new to anyone? I feel like the thing I am writing about is respect, supposedly plain and simple. But the situation demands a reminder of what should be plain and simple because it, simply, is not. I do not understand why this situation had to come about, but the deal is that it has, and it’s shameful.

Perhaps some people are unfamiliar with what I’m saying. I am confident that they have heard many times in life to “respect others,” and surely they are fully capable of speaking out those words themselves. But does this capability automatically mean that they know what they are talking about? I would say no. It is easy to regurgitate a commonly spoken belief and claim it, but obedience to that belief at a level of action requires believing it in the heart; some may fail at this. Maybe these people should learn what respect is beyond its dictionary definition and why, and where, they ought to show respect, especially when they’re in class, listening to someone who is supposed to be helping you become better. With that achieved, we might all find ourselves in a better learning environment.