Learning Through Lockdown: Chatt State Digital Electronics Class Carries On

By Mason Edwards, The Chattanooga Times Free Press

For students, a campus lockdown is the last text message they want to receive. With no details, it's easy for fear, dread and anxiety to grip students for the entirety of the shelter-in-place order — which, on Thursday at Chattanooga State Community College, lasted about three hours.

Professor Paul Morley's digital electronics class discusses combination logic gates and circuit analysis. His class waited outside of the Chattanooga State campus Aug. 29, 2024, throughout a three-hour lockdown. (Staff Photo by Mason Edwards)

One classroom — students and professor alike — collectively agreed to not let fear win. Instead, they trusted local law enforcement, ensured their own safety and then continued classroom discussions.

Tenured associate professor Paul Morley was teaching digital electronics when one of his students received a TigerAlert by phone. According to Morley, typical lockdown procedures would usually require professors to close and lock the door and blackout the windows. However, in the Gerald McCormick Center building, two of the four walls of his classroom are made of glass.

Morley said he'd spoken to former Chattanooga State Community College Chief of Police Don Coleman in the past, and Coleman advised him to evacuate his students to the riverfront greenway in the case of the lockdown, provided there were no shots fired.

One of Morley's students, Austin York, appreciated that his professor knew exactly which procedure to take.

"We were kind of in shock at first, but he was very mature and quick acting," York said. "I think that all calmed our nerves a lot. He's also a pretty funny guy, so he kept us happy and laughing. It certainly helped."

Chattanooga State Community College student Austin York adds on to the logic gate scribbled on the rock. York said after the impromptu lesson that the review helped him with the stress of a lockdown. Aug. 29, 2024. (Staff Photo by Mason Edwards)

Safely away from the chaos of police officers clearing buildings, the students and professor rested under an awning by the riverfront trail. A nearby Hamilton County Parks and Recreation ranger kept them and a handful of morning cyclists and runners safe.

Staying calm under pressure, the professor and his students made light of the fact that Morley accidentally left his phone in his office, but he had never dropped his white board marker during the evacuation. As Morley joked about writing out combination logic gates on a nearby rock, he noticed his students were engaged and asking him questions.

He eventually did write on the rock, letting his students reinforce what they were learning and keeping their minds clear. As they talked, they checked in with each other and made sure everyone was OK.

One of professor Paul Morley's students writes on the other side of the rock while the professor discusses behind him. Aug,. 29, 2024. (Staff Photo by Mason Edwards)

"It's a small little piece of brightness today," Morley said. "Everybody did the whole thing correctly. It talks a lot about the maturity of my students. It says a lot about them. They want to be there, they want to talk about these concepts."