Teacher punishes student for texting his grandmother well wishes while she was in the hospital: 'This was right BEFORE class, OUTSIDE the classroom'

This teacher should have known to ask for more information before jumping to conclusions. After all, she was the adult in this situation.

Look, we all know that phones and screens can be an issue in classrooms these days. Far too many student have become reliant and even addicted to their electronic devices. As a result, many instructors, administrators, and parents worry that kids have become unable to do basic tasks on their own without consulting an electronic device or program for assistance or to fully complete tasks for them.

It's not that technology is useless in the classroom. To the contrary, there are many ways in which technological innovation has proven to be extremely helpful for the learning process. Whether it's illustrating concepts for visual learners, facilitating interactive lessons, or automating unnecessary tasks, there are plenty of ways in which teachers and students alike can use technology as a tool to improve contemporary education. 

However, we cannot understate that in an environment where technology is so ubiquitous, it can be misused. Still, before concluding that students are breaking classroom rules, we should always approach any suspicion regarding phone usage with compassion and without assumptions.