Addressing Professors

Yesterday, my sister and I were talking and got onto the subject of addressing professors. Why do some professors believe it is completely unprofessional and disrespectful for their students to call them by their first name? Here's my opinion:

The way I see it is, we, the professor and I, have a contract, and although, they do deserve my respect, why should I owe them any more respect than they do me? I should be able to call or address a professor by his/her first name, as shall he/she be able to address me in the same manner. It might be different had he/she been doing me a favor, but I am paying him/her for goodness sakes and quite a bit of money at that.

We have a contract. I expect to be respected by him/her and to be taught, and he/she should expect to be respected and to be paid. Why would it not be acceptable to call he/she by their first name? Do they not like their first name? Their first name is used in practically every other part of their lives. It's not disrespectful. It's simply the name they were given at birth.

Now, I do understand that nicknames would not be appropriate, considering that I would not be comfortable with them calling me by some of my nicknames. But if we are to stick with the current system, in which we address them as Professor Smith or Doctor Barnes, should they not also address us, the students, as Mr. Carey or Ms. Taylor? It seems only right.

And not that this is a major issue or huge pet-peeve of mine nor do I usually protest general rules or policies, but to those professors who think they are way more sophisticated than everyone else because of their title or white coat, here is my argument. And it is simply that you should feel just as much respect when I address you by your first name as you do when I add Professor or Doctor. For did you not demand respect before you received your title ...or are you not good enough without it?