But, of course, I don't think universities are about training kids to be productive workers but rather teaching them to grapple with ideas. So, students ought to be encouraged to debate ideas--and met with stiff resistance in the form of strong counterargument--from their professors and deans. But, maybe, somewhere along the line someone should note that the real world doesn't work that way.
A primary mission may be preparing students for the real world, but there's more to the real world than work. For example, there are anonymous blogs. And anyway, for residential colleges, the implicit analogy between work and school doesn't work. College students are at college 24-7, and colleges' free-speech rules cover dorm life, athletic events, political rallies -- all things we want to protect from overreaching office speech rules.
Well, there's something to that, to be sure.
But, of course, I don't think universities are about training kids to be productive workers but rather teaching them to grapple with ideas. So, students ought to be encouraged to debate ideas--and met with stiff resistance in the form of strong counterargument--from their professors and deans. But, maybe, somewhere along the line someone should note that the real world doesn't work that way.
Posted by James Joyner | Link to this comment | 11- 7-03 11:11 AM
Touching, James. Now agree with me damn it.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 11- 7-03 11:17 AM
SCARY!!!!!!!!!
Posted by LARRY ZIEGLER | Link to this comment | 11- 7-03 12:52 PM
A primary mission may be preparing students for the real world, but there's more to the real world than work. For example, there are anonymous blogs. And anyway, for residential colleges, the implicit analogy between work and school doesn't work. College students are at college 24-7, and colleges' free-speech rules cover dorm life, athletic events, political rallies -- all things we want to protect from overreaching office speech rules.
Posted by Bob | Link to this comment | 11- 7-03 12:56 PM