NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Security is at the touch of a button.
One company is repurposing common classroom items to help teachers directly alert law enforcement. The technology is already in place at all of Nashville's public high schools, and the district now wants to bring the tool to middle schools as well.
If there's one thing about mathematics, it's that numbers never change. But Audio Enhancement's CEO likes to say his company has found a way to “tweak” the calculations.
“For me, it's like one plus one equals three,” he says, explaining the company's formula for approaching how it uses technology. “With one device, he does two things at once. It's made for academics and has safety to boot.”
The company serves 1.3 million classrooms across the United States, including Metro Nashville.
At the most recent Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) Board of Directors meeting, the district approved an expansion of the Signal Alert for Education (SAFE) System. The technology utilizes microphones already installed in classrooms to amplify audio for teachers to hear for students, but also includes important safety features.
“The microphone has a built-in safety device. Whenever a teacher is in trouble and someone needs to come into the room and help as a first responder, it's there. [are] There are two buttons, one on each side. “He can press a button on the microphone, and he has to hold it down for three seconds,” Anderson explained.
Notifications are sent from the microphone to a receiver in the classroom, which then sends an alert to notify the front office.
“The office is then notified where the teacher is and which room needs help, and emergency responders can be sent there to assist the teacher,” he said.
News 2 reached out to MNPS about the technology expansion. We received the following statement:
“The installation of our district-wide audio enhancement system has been an ongoing project at MNPS for several years. The main feature of this system is to promote better educational equity by amplifying teachers’ voices throughout the room. and create access to students so that all students, especially those who are deaf or hard of hearing, can hear and participate regardless of their position in relation to the teacher. Another important feature of this system is that it provides support within the classroom. Teachers can press a button to quickly and easily alert school administrators when necessary issues arise. A recently approved contract allows us to expand this project to more schools. As part of our priorities to strengthen safety and provide a more equitable learning environment, our goal is to expand this project to all schools in the district if funding is available. is.”
MNPS
“I can press a button. It's already in my body and I just press a button and within seconds I get immediate help. Teachers don't know when something is going to happen, so they can't wait for someone to come and help them. It could be medical, it could be two students, it could be an outside source,” Anderson explained.
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News 2 also reached out to the Tennessee Education Association to find out how educators are responding to improved security technology. The statement said:
“Feeling safe in school is critical to student learning. TEA is developing innovative ways to help schools become sanctuaries of learning where students feel safe, supported and valued. School safety is a shared responsibility. TEA works closely with education stakeholders to ensure the safety of all Tennessee public schools. Students and educators Students have the right to learn and work in an environment that fosters academic, social, and emotional growth. We will continue to advocate for having a say in how this is achieved.
Tanya T. Coates, Knox County Educator and Tennessee Education Association President
