The Cold Classroom Conflict

By: Brandi Seawood

     How do the cold classrooms at Atlanta Adventist Academy affect students? It has been generally known that cold classroom temperatures improve the academic performance of a student. However, students at AAA are complaining that the cold classrooms only make them sleepy and uncomfortable.  

     Sophomore Emily Parker, said the cold classrooms cause her to tune out of the lesson, because she finds the classrooms uncomfortable and hard to focus in. 

     "Even when the temperature starts off nice and warm or temperate, ten minutes later it feels like I'm sitting in the middle of a field in the wintertime," Parker said through email correspondence. 

     But sophomore Duy Nguyen disagrees and said the colder classrooms actually help him focus better. 

     Jennifer Cook, English teacher at AAA, is known for having the coldest classroom in the school. Even teachers have made jokes about her "hanging meat" in her classroom. She considers herself to be a "classroom dictator" and feels the room should be comfortable to her. Cook feels that a comfortable temperature for the room is 72 degrees, and it is not her fault that the students are cold. 

     "Sometimes scantily-clad children do complain about how cold it is in the classroom," said Cook.

     There may never be an end to the debate on classroom temperatures unless a consensus is reached. It has been proposed by students that a poll should be emailed to the student body. But if the results show that a majority of students are too cold, would anything change? 

     "Individual perception of temperature is a variable and unpredictable phenomenon," said Principal Matt Jones.

 A portrait of Brianna Seawood, a sophomore at Atlanta Adventist Academy, in Duluth, GA. She is trying to keep warm by wearing a hat and coat. Photo taken on Nov. 14, 2014. (Brandi Seawood)

The thermostat inside of Jennifer Cook's classroom displays a temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit. Her classroom is known to be the coldest of them all. Photo taken at Atlanta Adventist Academy in Duluth GA, on Nov. 14, 2014. (Brandi Seawood)

A portrait of Tamay Robinson, a freshman at AAA in Duluth, GA. She is trying to keep warm by wearing a thick coat. Photo taken Nov. 14, 2014. (Brandi Seawood)