Can I Leave Class?

I just had a conversation with a student a few minutes ago about his attitude in class. Today, yet again, he has decided that texting on his cell phone during class is far more important than anything we are doing and that asking me at the beginning of every single class if we are doing "anything" today and if he can leave is what a college student should do.  Apparently calling him out in class on it does nothing, so we had a nice conversation in the hall after letting the class go for the day.

This conversation reminded me quite a bit of the "I left my bag in class so I was there" student from a week or so ago. Somebody...please tell me that today's 20-something-year-olds are really not this dense.

Me: "So, what's going on?"

Student: "Nothing."

Me: "Obviously. So what's the deal with the cell phone, again?"

Student: "What about it?"

Me: "You being on it. Remember the first day of class? The syllabus? All that conversation about why you should not be on your phone or if you need to be on your phone that you should leave."

Student: "But if I leave, then I won't get the assignment."

Me: "Yeah, but if you stay, you aren't paying attention and are still not getting the assignment, so why be here?

Student: "Because you said I had to."

Me: "I never said you had to. In fact, I made a special point about telling you to leave when you asked me if you had to be here. Yet you stayed and then proceeded to be as rude as humanly possible with your comments and your phone. In fact, I want you to leave. I don't want this attitude in class. Your bad attitude affects my attitude which in turn make me not want to be here."

Student: "I would never disrespect you. You're a doctor. You know what you're talking about."

Me: "Really? I don't think you do know what I'm talking about considering I've had this conversation with you more than once. So why are you on the phone?"

Student: "I get bored. I just want to turn in my assignment and leave."

Me: "So do it. No one is making you stay. You're an adult. I'm not babysitting you. If you want to be that kind of student, do it. But don't expect to get points or the homework assignment for not being there, and you better not ever ask me if you can leave again. Just do it. In fact, I'd prefer it."

Student: "I'm not trying to be disrespectful. I just don't see why I have to stay if I've turned in my assignment."

Me: "You don't have to stay. No one is making you. But why didn't you take this as an online class when it's very apparent to me that you have no desire to be in this class. And don't tell me you do want to be here because someone who asks if they can leave all the time clearly doesn't."

Student: "I like class. I just don't want to have to stay."

Me: "Then don't stay. It's your choice."

Student: "But you said I have to."

Me: "I'm not sure how to make this more clear to you: you do NOT have to be here! You are an adult and it's your CHOICE to be here."

Student: "Okay, I'll be better. I just won't bring my cell phone at all to class."

Me: ...sigh...