Deseret News | BYU and U. business, law schools among best

Reader comments
BYU and U. business, law schools among best

Ace | 11:17 p.m. Oct. 5, 2009

Kids in class is exactly the reason I went back east to law school. It boggles my mind that someone would think it appropriate to bring their child to class with them. Regardless of whether your kid is "welcome" or not, a prospective lawyer or businessman should have the common sense to know better. When your kid pays tuition, he can come and sit through lecture.

Ace, Ace, Ace... | 2:31 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

I find it hard to believe that you, in fact, are really a lawyer. Becasue if you represented me without getting all of the facts I would truly be in a sorry state. Read the article and you will see that it says the child was in the class on the last day of the year. It is not as if that day was a lecture day or even one that counted to grade or had any content. If you are so intolerant of a desire for a father to let his kid see what he does you are really out there.

In the future, and you can use this in your law practice too, read all of the facts and then try to taylor your responses accorcing to your audience. Getting info correct is important not only in life, but in your profession. As a law enforcement officer I hope I never have to present a case to, or thru you to the courts.

U of U grad | 3:11 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

If you notice, the article said the LAST day of school that year. Not much happens the last day.

Comments continue below

Midwest Law School | 5:38 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

Good for you Ace. I'm sure you felt important back east. It's probably best that you did, because family and smugness usually don't mesh well. Was kids in class 'exactly' the reason? If so, you may have based your choice of schools on less important criteria. However, I doubt that was 'exactly' the reason. Your east coast law school should have taught you that words matter, and they should be taken at face value. I just wasted five minutes of my life responding to antagonistic fodder.

Re: Ace | 7:09 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

Calm down. It says he took his kid on the last day of class. I bet that was his only time doing it too. Even professional environments have "take your child to work" days, so there is nothing abnormal there.

Clare | 7:12 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

I think allowing the children to come to class is wonderful. How does this affect the parent's outcome in school? What a great example of teaching and inspiring your child to want to succeed in life also.
You are one mean spirited dud,Ace. Try be nicer.

sarah | 7:51 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

My husband is a professor in an "eastern" university (which, by the way, is no better than a western university). We had three young children while he went to school and he graduated top of his class. He has noticed as both a student and as a professor that students who have someone counting on them to succeed do much better then students who only have themselves to worry about. Weekends are free for such students...most of it, he has observed is used for socializing and partying based on the dazed look of Monday morning students. While the married or married with children students have more important priorities and concentrate on their studies.

RE: Ace, Ace, Ace... | 8:32 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

Having done my undergrad at BYU, I can tell you that kids are present in the classroom far more often that the last day of class.

RE: Clare | 8:34 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

Clare, I'm not saying I agree 100% with Ace, but my concern would be the distraction the child has on the rest of the class, not necessarily on the parent. The article indicates all the other students couldn't keep their eyes off the kid. Hope the lecture wasn't important.

former grad | 9:13 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

At BYU's law school, they have a couple small study rooms set up with a TV. Students with kids in tow can go to those rooms watch the class as it is happening. I'm not sure how it goes in the undergraduate classrooms or the business school at BYU, but at the law school kids are generally not present in the classroom itself. I suppose it's the law school's way of striking a balance between accommodating students with children while not interfering with the rest of the class.

Anonymous | 9:17 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

So? BYU is a giant pre-school?

Personally, it amazes me how this comments in this story devolved so quickly.

Seriously or not, props to both schools for ranking high in the ultimate conformity degrees. Really not shocking when you think about it.

Columbia Graduate | 9:18 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

Ace,

You don't live in the real world. When I was in law school, I brought my daughter to school with me on several occasions. It all depends on the law professor. Some professors allow children and some do not.

Current U Law Student | 9:32 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

I'm currently in my third year of law school at the University of Utah. In all my years at that school I remember a child being present in one of my classes once, and it was anything but a distraction, and our professor actually utilized his presence into the lecture. I had no problem with it, and as far as I know neither did any of my classmates.

BYU>utah | 9:54 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

Exactly where does the university of utah rank? Are they a top-tier university or just average?
BYU is top-tier in business(MBA program) and law.
How can you say that the university of utah is among the best? Do you mean in the state?

Gregory C. Balkan | 10:00 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

Re: Anonomous - don't you dare lump us in with our little brothers the zoobs.

Hoosier Coug | 10:12 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

Re: RE: Ace, Ace, Ace...

I received my undergrad from BYU and did not experience a single child visiting our class -- other than psychology when we were reviewing childhood development.

My wife almost received her undergrad from BYU as well (she became pregnant and dropped out, but is finishing up now), and she never had a child visiting the class.

BYU Prof | 10:34 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

I've taught at BYU for more than 30 years and I can probably count on one hand the number of times someone has brought a child to class. They've always explained the situation when they did and asked my permission, and I've always agreed that the child can come as long as he or she isn't a disruption. I've never had a problem, either with lots of people bringing kids or with the kids on the few occasions when one has come. I suspect I'm not so different than others nor that BYU is very different in this regard from most places, except that we have more married students.

Rob | 11:11 a.m. Oct. 6, 2009

I just graduated with my MBA from BYU. I can remember two instances of kids in class, and neither was disruptive. More often, kids were in study groups, but even there we rarely had a problem.

(The fact that BYU was recently ranked as the #16 MBA program in the country is evidence enough that kids in class are not harming our education.)

Anonymous | 12:19 p.m. Oct. 6, 2009

I teach at a two-year college in the mid-west. Almost every quarter, I have a child or two show up in tow in my classes. When the public schools close because of bad weather, the parent is faced faced either missing school or bringing the child along. On the whole, the children are very well behaved (better than some of the students!) and are not a distraction at all.

@Gregory C. Balkan | 12:34 p.m. Oct. 6, 2009

Little brothers implies a common parent and I hope you and I do not have a common parent in the last 100 generations.

Anonymous | 12:37 p.m. Oct. 6, 2009

A suggested reading- "Managers not MBAs" by Henry Mintzberg- then lets discuss

Ben Nolte | 1:53 p.m. Oct. 6, 2009

As the one mentioned in the article, you might find some context behind the story helpful...

Yesterday afternoon, I received a call and request to interview about my experiences as an MBA student "with a family."

As a student and father of three, I was glad to attest to the U's family friendliness.

In regards to taking my two-year old Nathan to my last day of class, you might be interested in knowing that on the morning before class I did ask my professor if I could bring Nathan. My wife had an appointment with our newborn and my other daughter was in pre-school.

My choices were to miss school or take Nathan to class.

Knowing the quiet temperment of my son, I knew he'd be okay especially sitting in the back row. If he wasn't, I would have respectfully taken him out.

I'm grateful that my professor was accomodating to my family's needs.

So what happened? Nathan sat quietly and was warmly accepted. As a result, I gained a greater appreciation for my classmates. And most importantly, Nathan got to hang with dad - and get a submininal dose of confidence and EDUCATION.

re: BYU>utah | 2:00 p.m. Oct. 6, 2009

Although the rankings speak very highly of both schools, it really depends on what your end goals. I am an MS/MBA student at Utah and interested in technology, since there is little research that goes on at BYU it wouldn't make sense for me to go there. Utah is a top tier research and entrepreneur school whereas BYU is not.

Ben Nolte | 3:00 p.m. Oct. 6, 2009

Family or no family, we all go to school for one reason: To get an education.

I'm glad my family could be a part of my education and experience even though most the time they were away from it.

Universities want to attract quality students married or not married, family or no family.

I went to the U to get an Entrepreneurial MBA for me, but I was also glad for the social experiences for my family as well. The opening and closing socials, Club activities, U vs. BYU MBA football games, and others extra curricular events made my education a memorable experience for my family as well.

And at the end of the day, it's rewarding when a professor and/or the administrator not only remembers your name and your small contributions, but also remembers your family by kindly asking, "How's little Lydia doing?"

Thank you David Eccles School.

Anonymous | 5:24 p.m. Oct. 6, 2009

I would hate to be your kid ACE!

re: BYU>Utah | 11:07 a.m. Oct. 7, 2009

Both schools are top tier law schools, if you're a law student instead of a football fan, you would know that. You would also know that there is very little that separates the two law schools. Graduates of both schools get great jobs and pass the bar.

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