Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

To the Editor:

As a former instructor at Rutgers University, I had students who were
completely addicted to technology. Some students, despite my requests,
couldn’t resist checking for text messages or surfing on Facebook.

Tyler Clementi’s story is tragic but not surprising, given how enmeshed
young adults are with technology. The need to be connected to
everything, everyone, all the time is so ingrained into many students’
identity that they disregard social boundaries.

I hope that parents and teachers will encourage young people to create
healthy identities and be “whole” without the obsessive need to be
connected and share everything over the Internet.

Or, at least, teach them that all actions have consequences—whether it
is the loud teasing of a bully or the soft click of a mouse button.

Grace Yan
West Haven, Conn., Sept. 30, 2010