As you so rightly point out, a basic rule with commas is to use one when to not do so would impair understanding. Strunk and White says “place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause,” and gives the example “The early records of the city have disappeared, and the story of its first years can no longer be reconstructed.”

http://www.bartleby.com/141/strunk.html

This is why I put a comma in the sentence that ends “changing the way people communicate, and causing students to fail English.” To not do so would cause the reader to think that this was a list of two items, which it was not.

Ruthanne’s comment troubles me on many levels. My blog post, interview with Canadian Press, and the outcry by Canada’s academic community have nothing to do with misplaced commas. Some of the “problems” stem from, as Ruthanne says, adaptation to changes in language vs. seeing those changes as “wrong,” and I accept that. More importantly, though, this is about a looming, unprecedented breakdown in communications, the inability of students to pass basic English competency exams, and worse still, upon graduation, their inability to communicate as required in their chosen professions.

My SAT score was in the 98 percentile in English. I am one of the most highly paid and sought after business writers in the Silicon Valley. I am a published author. I have a degree in communications. I was a graduate teaching assistant and taught communications. I am a published author.

I know, big deal, but Ruthanne’s attempt to link the writing on my blog to this situation is weak, and her analysis is ludicrous. She cites no solid examples and attempts to play at being a linguistic Sherlock Holmes when she can’t hold a candle to Scooby Doo.

While I agree that language is a form of communication, and that it does change over time, I do not agree that communication in business will become informal or use “common” language.

Today’s students need to know how to write (properly) in order to express themselves coherently and thoughtfully. If they cannot express themselves in writing, they won’t make in a business environment. And clearly, people need to work in order to live.

My $.02.

To suggest that my blog is an example of poor writing is disingenuous, mean spirited and completely false. There are more errors in the first paragraph of your comment than there are in the 10 most recent posts on this blog, but what would be the value in pointing them out?

Joel

They do NOT fail because of social media. If anything, social media platforms are giving students more opportunities to put their thoughts into written words. Students who really want to do well in a class, whether it is English or Chemistry or Math, must learn the appropriate rules/tips/guidelines for success AND THEN they must follow them.

I actually use Twitter and Blogging in my classrooms, and many of them want to learn more and do better as a result.