Having a little class

Fans of jurisprudent intelligence can take cheer in the decision last Thursday, a decision made by Northampton County  (Pennsylvania) Judge Emil Giordano.  In a lawsuit filed by Megan Thode, a former student at Lehigh University, the judge's wise and reasoned ruling was that Ms Thode should tell her story walking.

Thode was taking a graduate-level therapist internship course in 2009 and she got a C+ in the course.  Her grade was brought down by getting zero points out of 25 possible points in the area of class participation from the instructor, Amanda Eckhardt. Professor Eckhardt said that Ms Thode participated in class all right, but what she contributed was not all right.  Her testimony was that Thode had outbursts in class, did not participate appropriately, was emotionally unstable, and failed to heed a warning letter.

Not surprisingly, Thode had an attorney on her side during the trial, in which she was suing to get the grade changed to a higher one so she would be able to be licensed as a therapist.  Oh, and 1.3 million semolians would also help her feel better, too, thanks.

Her attorney, the noted barrister Richard Orloski, claimed that the source of the friction between the two women is that Eckhardt opposes same-sex marriage and Thode is an ardent supporter thereof.  And while requirements for members of the class included participating in a professional manner, giving and taking feedback with others and analyzing their own behaviors and perspectives, in Professor Eckhardt's view, Thode carried on in class to such an extent that she deserves no higher grade than what she got.

The judge sided with the university, which makes sense to this observer.  In the course of my checkered academic career, I often had differences of opinion with teachers, who felt it only reasonable to expect me to a) show up in class  b) study now and then and c) refrain from hollering out punch lines from old burlesque jokes during class. 

Take my wife, please!...

A car hits an elderly man. The paramedic says, "Are you comfortable?  The man shrugs, "I make a living."

I just got back from a pleasure trip. I took my mother-in-law to the airport...

I've been in love with the same woman for 49 years! If my wife ever finds out, she'll kill me!

 Amusing as my teachers seemed to find these, they always wondered why a kid in elementary school knew them.  They never met my grandfather, is all I'm going to say.


Pictured above is my second grade class.  I am encircled by a golden halo, not for the first time. Next to me is Pam Schute, now a physician in California and still as lovely as ever. But in the very front row, you will see the also-still-lovely Jean Lillquist, Carol Boone and Mary Hays Vollmer, three wonderful friends who are also still in touch thanks to the wonderful computer invented by people who paid attention in class!  Always great to relive those memories!