March 20: Best Part of the Evening

For me, the best part of the evening came after the formal proceedings, when small groups of faculty and students gathered to continue the discussions more informally, and with considerably more animation and personal engagement. I sought out an African-American male student with whose views I had disagreed, and a white female former student leader who had called on her fellow students to take more ownership of the institution and of their educations. We had a great conversation on whether being "comfortable" was really conducive to learning (and to personal growth and development of leadership abilities), and whether the law school could or should seek to "push" students beyond their comfort zones, to try out "scary" roles and ideas, and to develop skills (and courage) to take chances and gain experience, judgment, and self-confidence from making mistakes in school, where the costs were not really so high, rather than in "the real world", where they would be operating without a net. We also talked some torts, and some professional responsibility. I think some actual communication, and some real growth, might have taken place in those moments, and in the other groups surrounding us.

I also had a wonderful conversation with an older student who had read my proposal through in advance of the meeting (that makes one) and wanted to engage on some of my ideas, and share some of his ideas and life experience. What a pleasure. What a rare pleasure in the modern academy.