Speakers in Classroom: Why?

Over the past few weeks, all classrooms in the school have been equipped with speakers (look up at the ceiling). These speakers are connected to microphones, allowing the instructor to “broadcast” to the entire class. Fair enough.

The idea of purchasing equipment that is designed to help students is a good one. Here, however, is is a misstep.

Here’s the problem: There are also microphones that can be attached to tables (or in secret locations throughout the room) – projecting the softest whispers of students through the speaker as well. It feels like an invasion of whatever privacy we, as students, had left – a 1984-esque piece of technology that has little-to-no application in a smaller classroom.

One benefit of the speaker is that you can supposedly “hear your teacher better,” but in the smaller classrooms here at Cypress Ranch, is this seriously necessary? Teachers move around during lessons anyway.

The only place I believe the speaker would be useful is in an open classroom concept, or in larger rooms like the Band Hall or Auto Tech. Instead, we at Cypress Ranch had them installed in every. single. room. But, I guess its OK. It’s not like some of our textbooks are older than most freshmen… Wait.

Students are seeing this for what it is. The mics teachers can hide around the room stifle conversation in group projects and discourage group work. Who knows; maybe one day we’ll get a device that allows teachers to read student’s minds.

I know that students give up a certain amount of privacy when they come to school. But not 100% of it. The school should not have the right to broadcast private conversations between students over a loudspeaker for the entire class to hear.