Thanks Melissa for your comments... I agree with what you have written... also, it is important that we change their futures and lives in the way that they communicate!  I received so many 'whiteboard' messages that truly seemed to be written in a foreign language!  Few words were spelled correctly, the grammar (subject / verb / tense agreement) was pitiful!  Thus, several weeks ago, I set a personal goal to simply not accept these messages.  I send these back to the student(s) and ask them to submit their request or reason for being tardy or absent in ENGLISH!  I… >>>