DEAR ABBY: I am a 35-year-old woman who is returning to community college after a 10-year absence. I'm disturbed by the lack of respect that some of my classmates show. Many times they show up 30 to 45 minutes late. (The classes are only an hour and 15 minutes long.) Also, some of them constantly talk during the lectures, forcing the teachers to talk over them.
When I was in college the first time, teachers were allowed to deny a student entry to class if they arrived late and to kick students out if they were causing a disturbance. These students are robbing us of our class time because the teacher must make time to let them in, wait for them to stop talking, etc. Is this just me being too serious, or is this a generational problem of parents not raising children to respect others? -- CRANKY COLLEGE LADY
DEAR CRANKY: Neither one. It's a case of a teacher not being in control of his/her classroom. Talk to the teacher about how you feel, and to the head of the department if you think new rules should be put in place. Your point is valid.