That's just frightening. I think it's more a case of laziness than anything else. There is no way teens are confusing these. If they sit through any language or literature class they know better. Honestly, I've been texting and IMing for years and I am not stupid enough to think that chat speak has any place in the written word. Please, just think about it. These kids are lazy, not stupid.
They just don't want to take the time to actually write out a full paper.
My question is why aren't their parents putting a stop to it? TalnSG is right. Some of the blame belongs to the parents as well. My mother raised me old school. If I'd have brought home a paper like that....*shudder*not only would I have gotten a very stern talking to ,but I would have more than likely gotten my rear end busted and had my phone and internet taken away had it continued. My parents were
always strict on grades and it showed. I stayed in the Beta Club.
My parents would have never put up with such nonsense and if I had a child, neither would I.