Did I do the right thing telling my professor everyone started cheating when he left the room?

I feel like I may have just done something stupid, but I might be tired from studying late and obsessing and worrying over nothing. Is this just a case of rejection sensitivity from his response, is it that I feel like it wasn’t fair to those of us who didn’t cheat, or am I just blowing this all out of proportion?

I just finished taking a test I studied really hard for. I actually cried studying for it this morning just feeling super overwhelmed by it.

Teachers feelings about cheating: Earlier in the semester this professor said he’s failed people in the past for cheating, that some have failed the whole class because of cheating, and he has no problem dropping students if they don’t attend enough.

Today: During the test he left the room about 10 minutes in, and didn’t come back for over an hour.

Almost I mmediately after he left it devolved. People got their phones out, were talking, it was a mess. I had to concentrate really hard just to get through it at first, but eventually it settled though never completely died down.

He eventually came back after about an hour and he he wrote his office number on the board and told the ten of us left to bring it to his office once we were done.

After he left a girl started saying how she’s never had a teacher leave the room like this and it not be an open book test. The remaining students (most of who did not actually talk during the test before this started saying how it was frustrating.)

I probably shouldn’t have, and I regret talking in case it comes back on me in anyway, but I did say, “Why did I study hard if we’re all going to get the same grade because I could have just cheated and used my phone like half the class.”

One of the other remaining girls was shocked that people were also using their phones, as she’d been keeping her head down the whole time, and we were all just frustrated together because we studied and tried hard, but that didn’t really seem to matter.

When I went to take my test to him he asked me how it went as I was hesitating a little and I then said I had a hard time concentrating because everyone was talking and using their phone during the test after you left. But I did make sure to tell him that I didn’t blame him but that it did happen, and that I don’t want this to reflect poorly on me.

He said oh, really, and asked for names. And I said something like (though I see now how this could’ve been taken as I won’t name names): I can’t name names, but it was most of the class.

It was incredibly awkward, and he really did seem frustrated. Now I don’t know if I’m reading too much into it or if I shouldn’t even said anything, but I can’t tell if he was frustrated at me or if he was frustrated at the situation. And that might just come from the fact that our personalities don’t really click he’s very brash and a little mean to the class at times so I don’t know.

He’s also the teacher that, among saying other things about ADHD, said ADHD is because of smart phones, and while I know he doesn’t know I have ADHD and that it probably wasn’t directed at anyone in the class but it was still weird and random. Also that it didn’t exist over a decade ago. It’s a finance class.

I’m worried about somehow getting in trouble myself, or him throwing out all of the tests, giving everyone a zero, everyone finding out it was me who snitched, the list goes on.

I don’t know if I did the right thing, or if I should’ve just stayed quiet. After typing all of this up, I wish I hadn’t said anything, I don’t see what could come from it I just feel like I was frustrated in the moment.

I asked my dad who’s a professor what he would do and he said I should send him an email asking to remain anonymous.

The thought of doing that and potentially making it worse, makes me super nervous, so I don’t know what the right thing to do is. Have any of you ever dealt with anything like this?

TLDR: Professor left room everyone got on their phones and started talking and when I told him and he seemed irritated. I asked my dad who is a professor what I should do and he thinks I should send a clarifying email and ask to remain anonymous. Now I’m worried about what will happen.

EDIT: It’s an hour-ish later and I had food, talked to some people, read your responses and I do feel a bit better.

I agree with all of you, even those who were against me doing it in the first place, and I really appreciate everyone’s advice.

Like I said I regret doing it, I wish I hadn’t no matter how frustrated I was for myself and everyone else in the moment. Believe me I won’t be doing this again, even though a lot of you made good cases for doing it (like my dad who said he’d want to know) this is giving me a ton of anxiety and now I’m super nervous about going back.

When writing this I just wasn’t 100% sure where to go from there or if I should email him or not. But I’m going to take all of your advice (and my dads) be brave and do it.

Thank you guys it means a lot to me that you took time out of your day to help! 💜

EDIT 2 3-ish hours later:

Hi again! I shared this with a friend and they suggested I clarify three things:

First, is about the email my dad said I should send. It’s only to say I want to be anonymous and I don’t want him to name me in any way. Dad said not to name other students names, and much of what he said has been echoed here actually. I wouldn’t give names anyways, my main goal was to try and get him to be in the room next time not to get specific people to fail their tests. My question was mostly about would you even send an email at all. I’m sorry if what I wrote was confusing it’s been a stressful and long day, but I don’t want to change it in the original text in case it gets even more confusing.

Second, I only said something to my professor because he directly asked me how my test went, and I was hoping my answer of “well I had trouble concentrating” was insinuating he should be there during tests. I’m not sure if that was clear or not either. I’ve seen a lot of other colleges rules thrown around below, and from what heard (from the only person I’ve asked who had an answer from my school) is that our professors or a proctor have to been in the room with us. One of the girls who was coming down as I was going up to his office said he was checking his stocks during the test so I’ll take her word for it I guess.

Third, as a few commenters suggested you’re right, I’m less upset about everyone potentially getting A’s than I am about being distracted during the test and with him for not being there. More than anything I’m just worried he’ll try to take his frustration out on me in some way that’s why I was wondering if emailing at all would make it worse in your opinion.

That’s probably all after this! I just wanted to make sure I didn’t leave anything out. Again, your advice means a lot to me. It’s been a hard day and even though I’m still extremely anxious about everything, you’ve helped me to figure out what I’ll do next and that’s super helpful!