# Argh! Annoying Lecturer of Death! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 28, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-annoying-lecturer-of-death/328331 "2005-10-28T16:17:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-annoying-lecturer-of-death/328331/41 "2005-10-29T19:55:40Z")
> [@neuroman](#): > > Cite, please. > > As far as I know it is legal to covertly record a face to face conversation, and I assume lectures, which are public speech, would be even less likely to be subject to recording restrictions. I’ve been trying to find something online about this issue, but so far have only found that some disabled students can use tape recorders. Haven’t found anything yet that says other students can’t use them as well. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-annoying-lecturer-of-death/328331/42 "2005-10-29T21:20:48Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > So would it be OK for a student to stand up and say, “The Right Honourable Lecturer is being a disrespectful horse’s ass”? 😃 : Rabble-rabble-rabble : Rubbish! Resign! : Rabble-rabble-rabble : ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-annoying-lecturer-of-death/328331/43 "2005-10-29T22:22:49Z")
> [@neuroman](#): > > Cite, please. > > As far as I know it is legal to covertly record a face to face conversation, and I assume lectures, which are public speech, would be even less likely to be subject to recording restrictions. I don’t have a copy of the Ed. Code in front of me at home. I will try to find the cite when I return to school. But it has been cited in our faculty handbooks for years. ---
**Author:** ![Tenar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@Tenar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenar)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-annoying-lecturer-of-death/328331/44 "2005-10-29T23:05:07Z")
> [@Exgineer](#): > > I’m kind of bemused by the idea that any sexual preference has a “point” other than sexual preference. Clearly, you’ve never met an over-politicized lesbian. Be happy. Be very, very happy. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-annoying-lecturer-of-death/328331/45 "2005-10-29T23:16:18Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I don’t have a copy of the Ed. Code in front of me at home. I will try to find the cite when I return to school. But it has been cited in our faculty handbooks for years. Ok, so actually, it looks like in California you can’t covertly record a face to face _private_ conversation. Looking at the statute, I think recording a classroom lecture could go either way. Although the OP is in the UK, anyway. 🙂 California Penal Code: ```auto 632. (a) **Every person who, intentionally and without the consent of all parties to a confidential communication**, by means of any electronic amplifying or recording device, eavesdrops upon or **records** the confidential communication, whether the communication is carried on among the parties in the presence of one another or by means of a telegraph, telephone, or other device, except a radio, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), or imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or in the state prison, or by both that fine and imprisonment. ... (c) The term **"confidential communication"** includes any communication carried on in circumstances as may reasonably indicate that any party to the communication desires it to be confined to the parties thereto, but excludes a communication made in a public gathering or in any legislative, judicial, executive or administrative proceeding open to the public, or in any other circumstance in which the parties to the communication may reasonably expect that the communication may be overheard or recorded. ``` Sorry for the hijack, and yes, your lecturer is a B-I-T-C-H. ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-annoying-lecturer-of-death/328331/46 "2005-10-29T23:29:10Z")
> [@Revenant Threshold](#): > > Every lecture, however, she has a habit of picking out a guy in the first few rows (although sometimes she’s walked up the hall to talk to “the cowardly men at the back”) and had a go at him. For being male. It’ll be literally things like “So, what do you think about this? What have _you_ personally done? Because if you don’t _personally_ turn up to picket places where women don’t recieve equal pay, you’re part of the problem, you stupid male!” (Yes, she will call people, personally, stupid). All the while the guy keeps sinking into his seat in embarrassment. And she’ll keep going on at this one person for about ten minutes- longer if they try to debate the point; “But I do think men and women are equal” “Of course you do, now i’ve **told** you they are. Honestly, men just can’t think for themselves”. Evil and grating. I would probably say something like “Of course I do something about it! I make it a point to oppress every woman as much as possible. Whenever I see one act out of line, I drag her home and make her do my dishes!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-annoying-lecturer-of-death/328331.md?page=2)