Thursday, June 28, 2007
This week the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in Morse v. Frederick, No. 06-278 (U.S. June 25, 2007). You may recall it better as the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" case. In his concurrence, Justice Thomas wrote:
"In short, in the earliest public schools, teachers taught, and students listened. Teachers commanded, and students obeyed. Teachers did not rely solely on the power of ideas to persuade; they relied on discipline to maintain order."
Of course, in the years that have passed since the 18th Century, educators have realized that experiential learning is a far more effective learning tool -- for adults, as well as children. Wonder what Justice Thomas would think of the controlled chaos of an interactive exercise during legal writing class?
hat tip: Prof. Peter Friedman, Case Western University